A Short Reprieve
by Prudence Chastity
Summary: With Cocoon & men eliminated, Lightning & Jihl can finally move on, but Fang's a real sweetheart, & with her starstruck attraction to them only growing by the day, they find it increasingly harder to let leave it alone. As Fang's situation with the Umbra is threatened, she finds a pocket of happiness in her life in all her loves at home. FangxLightningxJihl Sequel to OAE
1. Chapter 1

**1230, AS: Lion: Waxing Crescent**

Daughter of the most esteemed Elder and her full-blood, Umbra wife, Jihl frowned at her naked reflection and turned for the sideview in the mirror. Her stomach bulged, rounded out to protrude. She grabbed one in a hand to check the current size and saggage. Jihl released her uncomfortably inflated breast and ran a hand over her enlarged stomach instead.

It wasn't bad yet, and she'd always find Jihl gorgeous, Lightning assured her regularly. But Jihl didn't like being fat.

The bathroom door opened behind her and Jihl glanced back to see her fiancée in question. "Jihl," Lightning addressed, coming in quickly, "You're even not dressed? And your hair's sopping wet."

"My boobs are sagging." Jihl complained.

"You're almost seven months pregnant with twins; that's going to happen." Lightning grabbed a towel from the rack and brought it over to Jihl, seeming to walk so easily in her blue, satin dress, stomach rounder than Jihl's, even being almost a month behind her. Jihl couldn't imagine how she could be so relaxed with triplets in that growing belly that already looked full enough to give birth. She had a hard enough time with two, let alone Lightning's litter.

"They look bad."

"They do not," Lightning chastised, taking her wet hair in the towel to give it a fast-friction rub. "You look beautiful, Jihl." Jihl sighed as Lightning dried her hair with the towel. "Jihl," Lightning touched her arm. "Jihl, what's wrong?" She turned Jihl around to face her. Jihl's eyes flitted up to Lightning's pretty blues, which matched her dress. She lowered her eyes again. "Hey," Lightning lifted her chin with soft fingers to meet those clear eyes again. "What's going on?"

Jihl averted her eyes, feeling foolish and inadequate all at once. Lightning carried her trips with such ease and grace, Jihl envied it sometimes. She didn't seem to have these repeated problems Jihl bore with her own. "I want to hug you," Jihl finally admitted, sad and troubled with it all. She took half a step to Lightning before their large bellies bumped gently, blocking them. "I haven't been able to hold you for a month."

"Jihl… we can hug. We just have to be careful." Lightning's pink brows drew together before Jihl couldn't hold those eyes for a second longer. "Here," Lightning said, turning around abruptly. She reached back for Jihl's arms and gently tugged until Jihl's large stomach and breasts lay directly against her curved back. She gently tugged Jihl's arms as far as they'd go around her sides, which barely reached the bulge to Lightning's stomach. Her back arched a bit like she was lying down so that Jihl fit against her right.

How did Lightning do this so easily? Every turn, every curve, every walking step so smooth. She still even navigated sex for Jihl like it wasn't a problem, whereas Jihl had gotten awkward and clumsy with their bulging stomachs. She found Lightning just as gorgeous with her grace and ease in all of it, but couldn't replicate it for anything, no matter how hard she tried. Lightning felt like a growing mother filling her role; Jihl just felt fat and awkward all the time. Look," Lightning said once she'd stopped moving them to have Jihl positioned in hugging her from behind. She rested her head on Jihl's shoulder, sweet. "You're holding me."

And before she even knew it or could think right of it, tears started streaming from Jihl's eyes. "It's unfair," Jihl cried, alarming Lightning enough to turn to look at her.

"Jihl— "

Jihl could barely hear her anymore. "You're beautiful and graceful and will make a great mom. Pregnancy fits you like a glove. But I just keep getting fatter and uglier. My boobs sag, my nipples are dark, I get these hot flashes all the time, and I eat like a pig! I can't even marry you 'till I get pretty again! _If _I get pretty again."

"Jihl!"

Jihl moaned, overcome in a swirling pool of self-depreciation. She felt worse even yet. "I can't even control these awful hormones," Jihl cried, a small fit of anger rising with the torment of all this. Lightning gripped her cheek and, in another moment, her mouth. Jihl's anguish stirred in her, becoming passion for their kiss, which she extended in trying to conquer Lightning's mouth. When Lightning finally fought away for a breath of air, the fire went out like that. Jihl realized she had her against a wall and didn't even remember how they got there. She buried her face in Lightning's shoulder to hide the quiet sobs. Jihl struggled to get ahold of herself. She whimpered, eyes shut.

Lightning cradled her face. Their stomachs pressed. Lightning kissed her forehead, then rested theirs together for a long breath. "I love you, Jihl." Jihl breathed in, almost injured by the words she knew Lightning meant. "I know you're struggling," Lightning brushed back a tear from her cheek. "We just have a few more months."

"_Maybe _a few months," Jihl corrected, shuddering in horror at the impossible length of normal Umbra pregnancy. "Or we'll be like this for fifteen months." Jihl's heart pattered fast. "I can't do this for nine more months."

"Hey," Lightning stroked her cheek, so warm and comforting and at ease with herself. "It won't be nine months. You heard what Thalia said; we're developing much more along Yun standards, not Umbra."

"She thinks," Jihl added, despairing of heart. "For all she knows, I'm only this big already because I'm having twins, and you've got trips. We'll grow double this size and a half at least yet." Lightning brushed away a fresh tear from her eye. When Jihl finally opened hers, she found herself staring into the warm, concerned gaze of the woman who had her heart clutched so strong. She felt shamed by Lightning's eyes. "I don't…" Jihl tried to get out her full fear over it, but she couldn't hold Lightning's eyes to say it. "I don't want to resent my babies, Claire."

"Jihl," Lightning puffed out with a breath. "You won't."

Jihl wasn't so sure. She tried to find it in Lightning's eyes and did, but she couldn't feel that confidence over herself. "How do you know that? I already feel like they're burdening me sometimes. They're destroying my body, making intimacy an exhausting task of maneuvering around. I can't even look at you before I orgasm half the time for all this weight I've put on. And it's only now onward that my stomach's going to start to drop and hang. Do you know how much bigger I'm supposed to get even now?" Jihl touched her enlarged stomach with a deflated gaze on her belly, so huge. "They don't even kick for me," Jihl looked at Lightning with sad eyes. "Yours kick all the time."

"That's not always a blessing. Do you know how hard an Umbra-Yun kicks in there? I swear, they gobble every meat product I eat like steroids." Lightning tried to get her to smile, but it didn't work because Jihl _didn't _know how hard her little babies could kick. When she saw she didn't feel better, Lightning cradled her face and brushed back the tears from her eyes. "Pregnancy's not as easy thing, Jihl. It's not horrible if you're having a hard time with it."

"You don't have a hard time with it," Jihl pointed out. "Our babies have the same father, only you have one more, but you still breeze through this like it's a walk in the park."

"Sometimes, it's easier on a person," Lightning tried to coax.

"Yeah, like when the babies know you're going to make a great mom." Jihl stubbornly said, "Mine know I won't."

"Jihl, that's stupid." Jihl looked up sharply with a severe frown.

"Now I'm stupid in addition to fat and saggy? Great. What else will go wrong?"

"You're acting stupid," Lightning deepened her frown. "Because you're beautiful, fat or not, and lack of kicking is not your babies' indication as to whether they love you or not."

"You're acting stupid," Lightning deepened her frown. "Because you're beautiful, fat or not, and lack of kicking is not your babies' indication as to whether they love you or not." Jihl stubbornly kept her head down. "And you're going to make a great mom," Lightning insisted, dropping her fingers down to Jihl's bare neck over a scar where teeth had been long ago. "I'm not the only one who thinks so. Remember, Fang chose you as her mate all those months ago."

"Pfft!" Jihl scoffed, giving Lightning an incredulous look. "We don't know why Fang bit us and it won't heal. That's just speculation."

"Speculation that Ragnarok thought _you _would make the best mother for her children out of everyone in the world?" Lightning tempted with silly exaggeration.

"You were 'chosen' too," Jihl tossed back with a minor glare, not buying into Lightning's silly little ploy.

"You were chosen first." Lightning answered back with a tempting smile, "And twice! Fang chose you doubly so." Jihl tried not to, but Lightning's nonsensical argument and stupid smile was growing infectious. "Bearer of the worlddd's generations," Lightning tempted, spreading her smile.

"Oh, shut up." Jihl finally pushed off, gently, glaring at Lightning in a smiling fit. "Like hell am I going to let that fertility stick squirt into me again after this."

Lightning smiled, stood on her tip-toes, and leaned in to kiss Jihl's head. "Do you feel better now?" Jihl muttered darkly. Lightning took her hand. "Belly or not, you've still got the most beautiful body I've ever laid eyes on."

"You're damn weird," Jihl cursingly said, though she did feel a bit more on the up side now. Not that that wouldn't change in ten minutes, bloody hormones all fucked up in a mess.

"And I'm pretty sure Fang finds you more attractive than ever," Lightning pointed out, peering through the maternity dresses for her.

"She would." Jihl growled, "Probably happy to see me suffer with a big belly of hers. Probably tried to give me the trips."

Lightning grinned and pulled out a dress. "White?"

"If I lactate in that, it'll make a big mess again and Rhea will jump me to examine my breasts."

"A few months ago, I'm afraid you might've encouraged that."

"A few months ago, I didn't have grandma's breasts. I want something dark." Lightning glanced back at her with a little smile. "Please," Jihl added to make it less demanding.

Lightning shook her head as she pulled out a dark green, lightweight silk instead. "Your breasts look fine, Jihl. Have you even seen mine?"

"You have trips," Jihl contested.

"And you're over-sensitive," Lightning insisted, going to their dresser to pick out Jihl's panties. "But if it discourages you from public nudity, I suppose I should stop complaining."

"I miss being nude," Jihl sighed with real regret. "I had a real body, you know. Something to be proud of."

"You _have _a real body," Lightning handed her her panties to slip into, "And you'll have your original again in a few months."

"With stretch marks," Jihl disputed. "And my boobs _better_ go back to normal after this. I'll kill Fang if they don't." A noise came from the door like someone clearing their throat. Jihl glanced over and saw her politely looking away. "Hi Fang."

"Evening…" Fang greeted, and that was one good thing about her. No matter how attracted she was becoming to them with their growing pregnancies, Fang turned up the modesty when it came to their nudity. As she should. Jihl didn't want her seeing proof of her distorted body like that, no matter how much the silly Yun liked it.

"We'll be out in a moment so you can stroke our bellies and swoon." Jihl alerted.

"Okay," Fang simply agreed. Jihl would say she was used to the routine, but Fang's eyes lit up every time she got to, so she and Lightning had made it a common thing for Fang. "How are you tonight? I thought… are you okay, Jihl?"

"Why are you asking me?" Jihl asked suspiciously with an eye cast to Lightning. She skipped the bra, usually something she always wore like this, but they'd be going to bed soon, and Jihl's breasts still ached a little from yesterday yet.

"I smelled salt," Fang unassumingly explained.

"You smelled…" Jihl startled when she realized what. "You smelled my tears?"

Fang shrugged. "I like— "

"You like salt, we know," Jihl finished with her, shaking her head. Lightning lifted to her tip-toes again to fit the dress over her head. "Crazy, Fang."

Lightning smiled as she fit Jihl in.

"So?" Fang asked kindly.

"You can look now," Jihl assured her, which had Fang lifting her head again to offer them both a neutral, gentle look.

"I meant you," Fang corrected, "Are you okay?"

"Oh," Fang's sweetness still managed to surprise her on occasion. They were friends, but Fang really took an extra step every now and then, showing a sweet side of how much she cared. "I'm okay, Fang. You know how these mood swings just get me sometimes."

"Okay."

"You can come in, Fang," Jihl allowed, "We're all decent now; your girls are waiting." She glanced down and touched the belly that bulged and extended out, all rounded. She hiked up her dress over the swollen belly for Fang. "Daddy wants to talk, girls."

Fang gave her an appreciative smile as she came in. She held out her hand to Jihl, which held a bag of dried jerky bits. "Light said you'd be hungry."

Jihl took it with a returned smile back. "Thanks, Fang." She held the dress up below her breasts and reached for some of the treats, informing, "Daddy brought this, Sweeties." She savored the first bite of it and offered Lightning some, who declined, just finishing tying her up in the back. Fang knelt before her swollen stomach as if in reverence; she especially liked greeting them like this, and after a night all out hunting with Lightning and family, she suspected she'd want to again. She munched her jerky bits, unperturbed by Fang's cute actions she might've once found unsettling, but not so for a long time now.

"Hey, girls," Fang adoringly greeted, reaching out her hands to touch Jihl's belly warmly. "Your mother said you just washed. Did you have a long night this evening?"

"They played drawing with Rhea at the hot springs," Jihl informed, drawing Fang's eyes up her body. "Well, Rhea played anyway. They just sat there while she drew smiling faces over the lumps."

"Sounds like fun," Fang stroked her fingers across the side of her stomach, the gentle brush like that of a lover's tender care. "I hope you got enough to eat while out, babies."

Jihl nodded, though Fang's eyes were on her belly, gaze trained and adoring. "They gobbled up all of Rhea and Serah's bread of yesterday, and made mommy eat _two _meat pies on the venture. Mommy hates meat pies."

"Oh, babies," Fang said, stroking her stomach for a kick that refused to come. "Eating is good, but. You can let up on Mom a bit, yeah? She's doing her best for you." Fang leaned in and kissed her belly chastely, which tickled some. "I know your reading time's coming up. I'm gonna leave you girls to that, okay? Be good for Mom." She stood with a, "Thanks."

"Not going to join us for bedtime stories, Fang?"

"Not tonight," Fang shook her head. All of them knew what that meant. Jihl reluctantly lowered her dress. In attempt to sway that depressing news because Fang never liked to expand on it, Jihl tried to lighten Fang's burden for her.

"Rhea and I were talking names again, Fang." She shot a sideways glance at Lightning. "Maybe Claire and I can go over some more with you tomorrow."

"If you want," Fang glanced at Lightning too. "I'd like that."

"Good," Jihl was happy to hear that, much better than Fang's original protests a few months ago for that much involvement. Jihl knew the kids made her happy, and Fang deserved as much happiness as she'd allow herself.

Fang nodded. "Serah and Rhea are downstairs. They should probably sleep with you tonight. Raina and Farron won't be back until tomorrow, either."

"Okay."

"Sleep tight," Fang bid because she wouldn't see them for another while.

"Try to get some rest yourself too," Lightning added, probably having had a similar occurrence with Fang and her children a little earlier today. Lightning stepped in and kissed Fang's cheek softly. Jihl followed after. Fang's smile was small, but genuine.

"Good dawning," Fang said, the traditional Umbra bid for rest just before one was about to sleep off the night.

"Dawning, Fang." She left, and Jihl grabbed Lightning's hand again tight for her support in this. "I wish we could do something. Run away with her or… something." Jihl squeezed, knowing the impossibility of her wishes.

"I know, Jihl." Lightning squeezed back, just as helpless. "Me too."

**XXX**

The eight-foot Umbra Elder startled, nearly dropping her glass of water as Fang showed up in the doorway. "Fang," Jeanne put the cup down quickly and glanced in the direction of the bathroom where her wife was before hurrying to the door. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Fang assured. "I thought we had an appointment tonight."

Jeanne's white brows drew together, furrowed. "Did Cereza say that?"

"No. But I thought it'd make sense that we would. Raina and Farron aren't here, and the girls are with Jihl and Lightning tonight."

"Fang…" Jeanne echoed in complete concern. It was true, Jeanne and Cereza hadn't suggested this tonight, which probably went a long ways to taking Jeanne off guard, but Fang knew the logic of this more than anyone.

"I have to get you pregnant."

"Fang, we don't have to do that straight away. The council will wait until I get pregnant again before they have to take you again." Fang could tell she was making Jeanne's gracious heart bleed over this, but she'd been thinking on it a good while, and listening. Fang had ears to hear conversations that weren't meant for her, and she knew the extreme pressure Jeanne had been receiving over having a child with Fang. If the council didn't see Jeanne fit to lead, someone else would take her place and Jeanne would be demoted with the sympathizers or worse, evicted. Fang couldn't let that happen.

"I know they've been pressuring you." Fang said and didn't let Jeanne interrupt. "They're not going to let you protect me for years like the last time. Roma's been boasting of her two and been talking about what a shame it is how unfertile you seem."

"Roma's spoken to you?" Jeanne asked in high alarm. A prime violator of Fang, worse than any of the others, and Second to Jeanne in the Umbra Council, Roma was still under watchful eye and banned from unnecessary contact with Fang. Jeanne had a good heart; as one of those people stuck in a tough situation, the prospect of Roma contacting her really scared the good mother.

Fang shook her head. "I hear things. Roma's not the only one. I'm not gonna let you get usurped because you're giving me a break, Jeanne. I really appreciate the months you've given me free of sex, but I think it's time we start again. If Roma delivers her baby before I can get you pregnant, you're in real danger of the power struggle."

Fang's insistence on her own victimization wasn't purely for Jeanne's goodwill. Though she knew and valued the woman as much as she could, given the situation, Jeanne's fragile hold on her Elder title was also the one thing that kept Fang from chains. Not all the Umbra shared Jeanne's sympathy for her, and more than half weren't willing to give her up yet; if any of those overthrew Jeanne in her Elder position, Fang was in real trouble. And Fang didn't doubt it; as soon as Roma had her baby and the pregnancy went through, she would challenge Jeanne for that position the first chance she could on any excuse, and she might win.

Fang wasn't going to let that happen anymore than Jeanne had protected her these last fourteen years. It wasn't a favorable one, but their circumstantial relationship went both ways, and for what Jeanne had done for her all these years, Fang would protect the mother in similar kind. She wished she had another way to go about it, but facts spoke hard.

"Fang…" she was breaking Jeanne's tender heart again and knew it, but Fang wouldn't back down. "I haven't lost all hold on them," Jeanne tried to insist, "We don't have to start so soon. I'm going to petition for another break period for you— "

"You know you can't do that until I get you pregnant," Fang vied. She wasn't much for politics, but fourteen years with the Umbra had taught her a thing or two about delicate power struggles. "If you do before, they'll all correctly assume we haven't been doing anything and Roma's next grasp for your power will have even stronger hold in discrediting you. The only way to keep you safe there is for you to conceive before Roma's is born. So she can't even contest you. It'll give you a year and a half at least for the pregnancy alone." According to Umbra law, positions couldn't be challenged or vied for if the position-holder was pregnant. Thus, Jeanne would be completely safe for fifteen long months, long enough for things to possibly change by the end of that.

Jeanne looked at her with hurt eyes that longed so bad to be mothering. It wasn't right. Her own daughter held Fang's child now, and her wife had bore that burden eight years ago. It was worse now, especially with Jihl and the attraction everyone in their 'family' knew Fang had for her and Lightning, but without the option to run, die, or disappear any other way, this was all they had in options. "You don't have to baby me," Fang assured the Umbra Elder. This hurt Jeanne just as bad as her. Worse, probably. Especially now. "Turn on the effect, and I'll be quick." Fang promised, indicating the 'Umbra effect' that gave her almost an instant boner when it wasn't restricted by Raina's crafty spell.

"Fang," Jeanne said again, knowing all she'd said was right. She reached out and touched Fang's arm, something Fang wouldn't have been comfortable with several months ago, but she knew Jeanne's intentions and her pure heart. She'd really given Fang more than she should've with these past seven months of freedom. "I'm sorry," Jeanne apologized, more injured by Fang's impending rape than Fang was. "I'm so sorry." She gave Fang a hug, which would've been a big no-no if Raina hadn't come in, saving the day with her altered spell. It made Fang a lot more comfortable with her 'parent' figures than she'd ever been, but Fang knew, after tonight, Jeanne's wound would re-open again. Unlike Raina, Fang hadn't been able to open herself to Jeanne or Cereza as fully much as she loved and trusted Lightning's mom. Jihl's parents had history with her and, no matter how unwilling on all sides or how unaffected Fang was at being raped by now, she'd never be able to unseal that much of herself to Jihl's parents like she'd done to Lightning and their daughter in kind. Their situation would never allow it.

When Cereza finally came back and listened, she offered similar protests to Fang's denials. Eventually, they ended up in bed with their pants off. Jeanne was sweating, so unused to the polarizing effects that equally aroused each other the same, that she came more than Fang did at first. Fang placed no blame in her severe humiliation over it; Jeanne hadn't had her for months. Lightning and Jihl had reacted the same way when Fang took her first, accidental raping by them. Jeanne could barely even adjust to the girth of Fang, so Fang took it slower, but came just as much. A few hours later, Jeanne made to get up and help Fang with the stubborn shower knob. She tried not to, but stumbled, weak on legs Fang had overworked in pumping. Fang caught her awkwardly to keep from falling.

"I'm sorry," Jeanne apologized so fast and mortified.

It was this reason Fang hated these most. Getting raped had gradually waned off effect, but getting raped by Jeanne felt like victimization. And not of herself.

"Don't be," Fang said and meant it, trying to get that through to Jeanne. She had blamed the woman only months ago; more recent perspective had utterly changed that. Fang considered Jeanne and Cereza's rapings to be as blameless as Jihl and Lightning's. She helped Jeanne back up to her feet as Cereza rushed over too. "Really," Fang said to Jeanne, meeting her eyes to cut through the older woman's guilt and hate of this. "I appreciate what you've done for me. Now, I have to do this for you. Let me."

The guilt didn't vanish, but Jeanne was a smart woman, a smart woman much passed Fang's years and own experience. She let go of Fang's arm and with that understanding, grief, and conviction, said. "Thank you." She encompassed a world with it.

Fang felt immensely better instantly with her saying it and, without returning nightmares, she went to bed.

**XXX**

"—to clear this dis…" Lightning paused on the lengthy word with its lettering. She forgot what two of the following symbols meant, making it hard to read on the page, but Lightning was no novice to the spoken language. She could infer the rest. "This discrepancy from all the rest."

"She cheated," Jihl alerted, tattling on her as she glanced over Serah's shoulder at the book she held in the middle of both of them. "She didn't actually read that. She inferred."

"Inferring the context of a sentence _is _learning to read it. It's how we get through difficult words we don't immediately know: by using the rest of the sentence's context."

"See, I'm learning." Lightning gave her fiancée a smug look. Personally, she'd thought it was a cheat too.

Jihl stuck her tongue out in kind, all mature around this bed. Rhea giggled from her spot. "Even I can read that one."

"Shh, you." Jihl ordered the little one. "We're learning here, you scamp." She glanced over to Serah's side. "Skip to the part it tells me how long 'till I get my body back."

Serah checked to both sides of her where risen bellies hid Rhea from view on the other side of Jihl. "You probably don't want to know," Serah informed, "There's pictures on that page."

"Pictures?!" Jihl snatched up the book to flip pages and see. Serah glanced at Lightning, but she just shook her head.

"Let her horrify herself if she wants." Lightning rubbed her giant belly, fully content as she was. Already the full size of a normal, pregnant woman with one, she expected her belly would grow much more in the next four months. At least she'd been the one hit up with triplets; Jihl had enough discontent with two as it was.

"Are you hungry, Claire?" Serah asked sweetly, seeing her running a hand over her stomach.

"I'm always hungry," Lightning said with a faint smile.

Serah started to get up. "I'll get— " but Lightning eased her down again with a hand.

"I'm okay for now, Serah."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Lightning assured, "But thank you." She ran gentle fingers over herself again; it was almost like she could feel them cradling off to sleepy land. Serah watched her with inquisitive eyes.

"AGH!" Jihl startled in horror, "Look at her stomach, Light!" she held out the book, showing a woman after pregnancy with a gushy, mashed gut left over.

"I saw them," Lightning told, relatively unswayed by Jihl's horror.

"How are you not petrified?" Jihl asked, flipping pages to blind herself more.

"Are you scared?" Serah seconded the question.

"A little bit, of course." Lightning looked to her sister and smiled faintly. "I haven't done this before, you know."

"Coulda fooled us," Jihl muttered.

"Oh!" Rhea squealed, "What is that giant hole between her legs? Why are they propping her up like that? Is that her vag— "

"That's enough reading for tonight," Serah admonished, giving Jihl a reprimanding stare.

"What?" Jihl asked, innocent. "I'm as horrified as she is."

Serah rolled her eyes and handed it over to Lightning, who took the book and countered it. "Can I touch your tummy, Claire?"

"Feels like they're going to sleep," Lightning warned, "But I don't mind. Whenever you like, Serah." Her little sister's hand moved over her bulging belly. She leaned in close against it to listen, but carefully didn't press her weight. Lightning felt all warm inside when Serah finally turned her head up to her.

"They're sleeping?"

"I think so."

"What are yours doing, Jihl?" Rhea asked innocently enough. Lightning checked her fiancée, who touched at her own belly to pet. If it was anything like Lightning's, that stroking urge came automatic.

"Thinking about chicken soup." Jihl finally answered, and Lightning was relieved to see another sad spell not taking her again yet. Jihl needed her rest today. "They're always thinking about food. Making mommy sleepy too."

"Do you want more stock?" Rhea asked, glancing over to the bread and tried meat they perpetually kept somewhere in the room.

"No, no," Jihl waved off, "They ate all of Fang's jerky. That's all they're gonna get for another hour or two." Jihl added, "Mums want you to stay here tonight."

"As long as you don't crush me with your belly." Rhea grinned. Jihl cupped her stomach and made growly noises, threatening in Rhea's direction. "Hey!" Rhea laughed, burrowing under the covers to hide. Jihl reached out and gave her lump a playful noogy. Hopefully to her head. Rhea squeaked and burrowed further under. Jihl laid back her head.

"You should get some rest, Jihl." Lightning said, seeing her tired. With all her traditional, Umbra piercings removed for the pregnancy and heels long gone, she'd resembled her girlish self again without the extra dressing, just a stomachful instead. Lightning liked her both ways, but she knew Jihl was anxious to have her babies out.

"You too," Jihl yawningly agreed. "You haven't even told me how the outing with Fang went yet. Bet she didn't let you near any beasts."

"You know Fang," Lightning agreed, happy to have simply been allowed at a distance. She wouldn't have suspected even that with her stomach so big. "We'll talk about it tomorrow night," Lightning promised. With no small effort, she pushed upright on her arms.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Serah remarked and disappeared under the blankets too before she exited the other side of the bed in a flash. Lightning gratefully scooted a few feet over where she'd been sitting and put a gentle arm atop Jihl, just under her breasts. She gave her the best hug from the side that she could manage with a belly that threatened the distance between them and pressed to Jihl's in her lean. Lightning kissed her temple.

"I love you."

Jihl cracked tired eyes on her and mute appreciation and tried to return the gesture as she could. Their stomachs rubbed as she leaned over on Lightning's far side to kiss her too, and only half landed it to her head. Lightning could tell she was frustrated with it. They hadn't even been able to share a romantic kiss since their bellies had grown. "I love you too, Claire."

Lightning tried to encourage her with a smile and took Jihl's hand at her side, entwining their fingers. It was something, in Jihl's mind, pregnancy hadn't 'robbed' from them yet. "Dawning, Jihl."

"Wake up with me tomorrow day for snack?"

"Promise." Lightning vowed, knowing the hunger would wake them both in just a few hours. Jihl stayed as close to her as she could that night.


	2. Chapter 2

Out in the courtyard, Fang demonstrated acute, precise cuts. "The goblin's skin is very thin," Fang explained, "It cuts pretty easy too. They're often too injured in battle to use as a satisfying cookout for a group, but because they stick in packs, you can usually get a few lunches off them."

Lightning nodded, fascinated with all of it. Whether it was a Mud Frog, Monstrous Flan, or Behemoth Fang was taking apart, she loved the process and loved watching Fang do it. Fang pieced out the fiends so naturally, you could tell it was a job she was meant to be doing. No matter how off it might seem, watching Fang venture out to battle fiends and clean up like this afterwards always captivated Lightning. They were tasks she'd taken from an old life, and Lightning was glad she still got to do them. Fang seemed as happy hunting as she was watching her.

"I'll cut this first one," Fang told her, "Then you can try the second and I'll assist if you need it."

"Alright," Lightning nodded, following the steady line of her hand as Fang made the cuts through fragile skin and peeled it off cleanly. Small splashes of blood remained here and there, but Fang had done a nice job of bleeding the goblin. She moved off the separate pieces of flesh to the side. "Are those going to the market tomorrow?" Lightning asked.

"Once I clean them," Fang nodded, peeling the last bits off. "Jeanne or Cereza usually take them in to Vallis Media to trade with the Teff clan for things I ask for."

Lightning was intrigued and disappointed at the same time. "They don't let you go, huh?"

"Too dangerous," Fang explained, handing her the cutting knife. "Too many Yuns would be angry over me and probably try to do something. I don't want to cause any trouble for them, so I stay away from towns or hunting bands of any kind."

"I wish you could go to one." Lightning fingered the knife's handle.

"Me too," Fang agreed, "But even with Umbra escort, it's too risky. I bet Jeanne would take you, though, if you wanted to go check out the town. With yesterday's hunt, I have enough pelts now that she might go tomorrow. You and Jihl could make a day of it with your mom and dad. If Jihl's up for it."

"She's nuts about staying fit. She'd probably like a full day out on her feet."

"It'll have to be during daytime," Fang reminded.

"That's the catch," Lightning checked down the goblin she was supposed to be cutting. "Where should I start?"

"Here," Fang reached out a hand, careful with her as she exceedingly was with Lightning's belly full of baby protruding. She laid a hand over Lightning's on the knife and gently guided it up to the first spot. "You insert like this," Fang instructed, probing into the skin gently, surprising Lightning with how easy it punctured. "It really takes no force, so go slow," Fang guided down gently, hand unwavering as she made a clean cut with Lightning. Though it wasn't her intention, Fang so close tickled the fine sense of Lightning's smell, washing her over with Fang's sweet musk. Lightning couldn't even place it, really, just that Fang always smelled nice. It drew her eyes over to her for what seemed a frozen second as Lightning took in that claw-scarred face of beauty Fang had.

"And end like this," Fang instructed, bringing her back out of the second to feel the slight lift and watch what was happening to know how she'd do it herself. "Do that across the points on all the cylindrical parts, and you'll be able to peel it right off with a little tugging." Fang let go of her hand. When Lightning next glanced at her, she sat back away with a hard boner evident in her pants.

"You okay?" Lightning double-checked.

"You smell nice." Fang almost grouched like a complaint.

Lightning gave her a little smile because she knew Fang wasn't truly mad. This was something that'd started to happen quite often after they'd started to show and a little before it. Fang's attraction to her and Jihl wasn't new to any of them; in fact, Lightning would even say back that their returned attraction to Fang was harmless. It just showed more obviously on Fang more often than not. "Skinning a goblin's romantic, Fang?" Lightning teased gently.

"Skinning a goblin with your belly touching my arm as we cut it," Fang corrected. "Yeah, it's sexy," she confessed in total seriousness and grumpy voice. "Go cut your animal."

"So long as it doesn't make it worse," Lightning chuckled softly. Fang grumbled.

"You'd have a boner too, in my place."

"I'd probably have a boner in my place, if I had them." Lightning relented for her.

"You're guilty too!" Fang accused.

"What can I say?" Lightning smiled, "You smell nice."

Fang's grumbling was interrupted by a third, welcoming voice. "What are you two carnivorous hounds doing without me?" Jihl chided when she came near enough to see. "Ah. Getting aroused around the animal carcass. I should've figured." Jihl gently eased herself to the ground on the other side of Fang, furthest from the carcasses, which made her wrinkle her nose. "Well, don't let me stop you. We talking boners or what?" Lightning shook her head; where she took a ginger approach to teasing Fang, Jihl was much more direct. "What?" Jihl asked innocently, "I want one. Fang, gimme a lady-boner."

"Oh, stop," Lightning said with a small chuckle, knowing Jihl was purely teasing. When she next glanced their way, she saw Jihl pick up Fang's hand and rub her belly with it. "You're horrible."

"You are," Fang seconded, taking back her hand.

"I don't see you complaining," Jihl stretched, relaxing back on her arms in sitting. Jihl was sensitive about her stomach, but she knew who appreciated it most and when to flaunt. Lightning couldn't hold that much against her; Jihl hadn't felt her best since she started showing, she just liked feeling pretty with the adoration Fang always gave. "So, since you're already hard, you wanna talk baby names now?"

Fang shifted, but that must've made sense to her because she eventually agreed. "Okay, sure."

Lightning shook her head softly, that smile fixed in place as she cut, Fang's watchful eye on her to make sure she didn't mess up. "First," Jihl posed, "Do you have any suggestions you want to throw in?"

"No," Fang answered, never that assuming when it came to stuff like this. "I'll just listen."

"M'kay,"Jihl reclined on her arms, "I'll go through some of the ones Lightning and I liked."

"Okay," Fang agreed, attentive.

Lightning finished her cuts and double-checked to Fang who nodded and reached to start peeling at an edge to show her. Jihl started idly beside them, "We've thought of Cressida," Jihl went through a short list of them, "Celia, Cordelia, Cassandra," Jihl smiled faintly, "Charmain."

"Charmain?" Fang asked with a furrowed brow.

"Like that one?" Jihl asked, grinning.

"Uh," Fang pulled away from the animal to let Lightning go at it. "I like some of the others better… Cordelia's kinda nice."

"Cordelia!" Jihl sat up with happy exclamation, "That was my favorite from the list!"

Fang glanced at her. "Was it?"

Jihl grinned broadly, a twinkle caught in her eye as she looked at Fang, quite happy with her. "It was." Lightning gave her own little smile; Jihl had been quite taken with the name a few days ago, Fang's confirmation made her glow. She peeled off the second cylinder of skin carefully and flattened it out.

"Looks like we might have one of them," Lightning then discreetly asked, "Did you like any others from that list, Fang?" Fang shifted and took a skin, flattened it on the ground. "No pressure," Lightning added, seeing Fang's discomfort like she was trying to guess. "There's no right answer. We just want your input, Fang."

"Okay," Fang was still reserved with such an issue she considered so important, but Lightning knew how happy she was to be included in the process so much, "Can we go through some more, and I'll jump back to ones I like?"

"Of course, Fang." Lightning smiled warmly. "There's others we like too: Cleopatra, Constance, Helena— " Fang's head lifted up.

"Helena?"

"Yes?" Lightning asked.

"A name that doesn't start with C," Fang said. "I thought you'd changed your minds to name them all with that."

Lightning smiled, looking up from the goblin. "Is that what you were afraid of?"

"Maybe a bit."

"Well," Lightning said with a laugh, "We have others."

Fang offered a small smile, "Good job with the skin," she nodded to another in asking and Lightning scooted to the next to do on her own.

"Thanks," Lightning started on the next under Fang's watchful eye, "Anyway, we didn't have many more. Just happened that C-names came up a lot that time. Jeanne gave us a couple of other Umbra names. Thaisa, Tamora, Francisca; that's all I remember we thought had potential."

"Hmm," Fang pondered, "Did you like any others, Lightning?"

Lightning cast her a shier glance. Fang hadn't picked out hers from the list, which Lightning would've liked, but at least she agreed with one of Jihl's favorites. Lightning had three babies inside; she hoped, with at least one of them, Fang would really jump at one of the names she liked and love it. It just didn't look like this time would be it. "I sortof liked Cassandra," Lightning admitted, instinctively reaching for her child with her un-bladed hand. "Having a little Cassie… seemed nice." She felt a hand on her arm and looked up to Fang's earnest eyes.

"Cassandra's a beautiful name, Lightning."

Lightning smiled faintly, charmed by her perpetual sweetness. "Thank you," she lowered her eyes to the hand on her arm, resting slightly above her wrist, over her stomach. Fang's touch was so warm. "Fang," Lightning lifted her head. "I know you don't want to suggest, but Jihl and I have been talking, and…" Lightning cradled her belly and stroked, "We want one of them to have a Yun name." Fang's eyes lit up in surprise. Lightning hoped it was a happy one. "Their daddy's a Yun," Lightning continued to point out, "And we're half too, so… if you approve of that, we could use your help. Jihl and I don't know many Yun names." Lightning tried to give her a little smile, a bit unsure. Fang's shock was hard to read from her awe sometimes. "Would you like that, Fang?"

Fang squeezed her arm gently. "You don't have to do that, Light."

"We're having five," Lightning countered with a gentle smile, "We can spare one. Besides," she slipped her hand up, lifting it into Fang's and returned the grasp. "We want to."

"You two are driving me crazy for sex," Jihl commented from lying flat in the grass. "If no one's about to start touching me, quit making each other smell so nice." Lightning released Fang's hand with a roll of eyes and shake of her head as she returned to the goblin in front of her. "Just let us know if you think of some Yun names you like, Fang."

"You're sure you want them?" Fang doubled-checked, polite and unassuming as always.

"We're sure." Lightning confirmed.

"I'll think on it." Fang promised.

**1230, AS: Ocelot: Waning Gibbous**

**16 Nights Later**

"She's huge, isn't she?" Jihl asked, "She's still bigger than me."

"It's not unusual because of her triplets," Thalia claimed, lining the measuring tape over Lightning's giant stomach, which bulged.

"What am I at?" Lightning asked, peering up at the heavy bulge and only seeing her stomach rising up.

"For twenty-three weeks…" Thalia lined up the last tip of measure, from the bottom of the bump to just under her breasts. "You're forty-two centimeters along."

"Sages!" Jihl cursed, drawing Thalia's eye. "You're going to fucking burst."

"Not yet, she won't." Thalia promised, moving over on the bed with her little measuring tape. "Although, I'd say this probably confirms it: you girls will have a Yun birth at nine months."

"Not fifteen?" Jihl asked, breath catching as she slightly raised on her arms. Lightning squeezed her hand.

"Not by these measurements," Thalia informed.

"Thank God," Jihl plopped her head back down as Thalia measured her too. "What's the damage, doc?"

"Thirty-five centimeters for twenty-six weeks," Thalia informed, "With Yun births, the measurements on a single child usually follow the approximate week you are at. Since you two are carrying more than one, it's usually a little more."

"A little," Jihl groaned, "I can feel my stomach aching all the time."

"Aching?" Thalia asked attentively, "What kind of aches?"

"Aching like my belly's being stretched in ways it's never supposed to." Thalia touched the side of her belly with a cool finger, which made Jihl lift her head to look up. "What is it?"

"It's just an outward pain of the skin?" Thalia checked, "Or do you ache inside sometimes?"

"Just outward," Jihl confirmed, but then looked at Lightning with a worried glance. "…but I haven't felt my babies kick yet. Does that mean there's something wrong?"

"Have you felt movement?"

"Sometimes," Jihl admitted, "But not like Claire's. I can feel them inside, but they don't punch around."

"Hmm," Thalia murmured over them, "Kicking can be felt at different times for every pregnancy. Araidne didn't feel hers until after her stomach dropped."

"Dropped?" Jihl asked, looking up to Thalia hovering over her, inspecting.

"Yes," Thalia confirmed, "Lightning's may have already happened. When your stomach gets so heavy, you'll lose the upright position of it. Many experts believe this is when the babies turn to a downward position for birthing. Araidne often spoke of a perpetual feeling like the baby would 'fall out' at any point. Have either of you experienced this yet?" Lightning shook her head. Jihl did too.

"Well, that's good for you, Lightning. It'd be too early for it to happen and mark the potential for a pre-mature birthing."

"What about me?" Jihl asked, sounding worried and frightened.

"If yours hasn't happened yet, I can't imagine it'll be more than a few days in coming. These aches could be your babies' attempts to turn in your stomach, or…"

"Or?" Jihl had trouble catching a breath. "Or what?"

"Don't panic, Jihl." Thalia cautioned, "I'm going to perform a scan over you. It could just as easily be your stomach hurting from so much growth at once, like your backaches."

Tears formed in Jihl's eyes. "And if it's not?" Lightning latched to her arm and scooted to Jihl as close as she could without disturbing Thalia on the other side of the bed over Jihl. Her heart ached. Jihl already had a hard enough time with her pregnancy, bad news could make this so much worse.

"We'll see what I find in a minute," Thalia promised, seeming like she didn't want to answer that possibility.

Despite her best effort, Lightning was sure, Jihl broke out into tears. "Is this f—from what I did with Sage?" She wept and lifted hands to cover her eyes. "I thought they were okay from that! I—I thought…" Jihl cried.

"Jihl," Lightning and Thalia both reached for her. Lightning cupped her cheek and turned her head her way. Thalia rubbed a hand through her hair.

"I thought it was the only way," Jihl's voice hitched on a sob. "I-I'm s—sorry."

"Jihl, shh, baby, shh." Lightning pet down her cheek, trying to reign in her fiancée. "We don't know if it's anything yet. Shh." Jihl's throat hitched again. She sniffled harshly, biting her lip, trying to control herself. "It could be a normal thing," Lightning tried to soothe, and prayed that it was. "Pregnancy comes with pain. Shh, Jihl, it's okay."

Jihl struggled to get control of herself, looking into Lightning's eyes. "I just wanna have them," Jihl told her tearfully, "So I can love them like they deserve."

"You do love them," Lightning chided, brushing away her tears. "This alone is proof enough of that." Jihl sniffed again. Lightning stroked her hair back. "You're doing great, Jihl."

"I'm detecting them," Thalia informed, drawing both their eyes back to her again. "Both of them, they're alive." She opened her eyes to look at them both, "And in an upright position, but not to perfect degree. What you're feeling in aches may be them starting to turn in your belly, Jihl. It's completely normal."

"They're not hurt?" Jihl asked with wide, sad eyes all round.

"They're not hurt," Thalia said, "But from what I can tell, they seem a little weaker than they should be. I know you've been keeping up on your exercising, and I recommend you continue that, even as far as you are and as big as you'll grow. Especially because of that. But you may also want to try eating more, Jihl. I know you feel like you're already stuffing full, but it may give your children a little more energy to try more. Healthy foods, too, even when they want pie."

"Okay," Jihl agreed without argument, struggling to push herself up as Thalia got off the bed.

"I'll also get you both more cream for your backs with the aches."

"I'm going to get some food," Jihl said, sporting an arm under her belly as she made for the door.

"Jihl, wait!" Lightning called after her.

"I'll bring you some too."

"Your clothes…" Lightning echoed after, but Jihl was already out the door without them, naked as she could be without caring, on her quest. "So much for modesty."


	3. Chapter 3

"Sweetie, shh," Cereza cradled her baby and grandchildren to her breast. Jihl's stomach bulged at the forefront in the bridal-style carrying, a pregnant woman with a huge belly, but Cereza showed no strain in holding her. Her Umbra strength was too great for anything like her pregnant daughter to be much weight on her arms. She carried Jihl up the stairs. "Just rest, baby. We'll get you whatever you want to eat or do as long as you rest."

"Thalia said I should keep working out," Jihl shared, chewing off some cold salami in addition to the wheat bread in her other hand. "She said I had to eat more and keep being healthy."

"You will," Cereza promised, reaching the top of the stairs. It was only a few more steps before she turned into Jihl's room; Lightning followed behind her. "After you rest. Eat up like Thalia said, then lie down, okay? I'll bring you up some suckers and chicken soup like you wanted."

"Thanks, Mum," Jihl smiled as Cereza laid her out on the bed. Lightning clambered in from the other side near the fire.

"Are you warm enough?" Cereza asked attentively, pulling up the blanket for her. "Do you want something else? Something to drink too or anything?"

"I'm okay, Mum." Jihl promised, "The soup is fine. I'll load the babies up and take a nap with Claire."

"Okay," Cereza agreed, casting Lightning a glance. "I'm going to leave you with Claire just for a moment, baby. You'll be okay?"

"I'll be fine, Mum," Jihl insisted, but couldn't contain her smile at the doting.

"Okay," Cereza breathed softly, then kissed her forehead. "I'll be right back, Jihl."

Jihl watched her go, then turned her head and body after to face Lightning on her side, separated by two giant bellies that barely grazed at the button. They nearly took up the whole queen-sized bed themselves. "Salami?" Jihl offered, holding out the long stick of meat in offering.

"No thanks," Lightning refused with a small smile. "Feed your babies up." Jihl munched at the meat. Lightning reached across her stomach for Jihl's and rested her fingers against Jihl's bare belly. "You doing okay, Jihl?"

Jihl glanced down at Lightning's fingers brushing her stomach. "I think so. Just trying to fill them up, you know." Jihl stuffed the last of the bread in her mouth and awkwardly held out her lower hand a smidgen from her leaned-on shoulder. Lightning moved her hand to take Jihl's, just as awkward as a stretch over her own, but making it seem natural and easy to grasp Jihl's fingers.

"We're really close, Jihl." Lightning promised. "We've got a small stretch left of this left. I know we can do this."

Jihl smiled meekly. She never had Lightning's confidence in bearing, but she was glad one of them had it. She just wished this could be differently spaced; it was so hard, going without her Lightning hugs and intimacy. She wanted that part of them back bad. "I wanna have them," Jihl confessed, swallowing down her mouthful. "I just want them to be out, Claire. I know it's not over by then, but it's gonna be so much easier… when I can really hold you again."

"Soon, Jihl." Lightning vowed, "We've just got one last leg to this. We're going to pull through." Lightning brushed fingers over her knuckles fondly. "Have you been practicing that position Mom showed us?"

"Spreading my legs and rocking?" Jihl asked with a smile. "I don't need practice to know how to do that one."

Lightning smiled faintly too and squeezed Jihl's hand. "We should practice after napping. Moms said we'd be much less limber, and I can feel it with this stomach. It'd be good for us to stretch out again."

"I don't really need a nap."

"Make Mums happy," Lightning countered with a light touch. "They just want you to be okay."

Jihl didn't say anything, but she would. She agreed with that assessment; it was for their mothers fretting after the scare. "Claire," Jihl said after a moment and another healthy bite of the cold salami stick. "You're really good at this, you know?"

"I don't know about _really _good…"

"Oh, shush. Pregnancy fits you like Umbra shoes."

"I don't have Umbra shoes," Lightning returned with a smile.

"Well, maybe you should get them and see how well they fit you."

"Are you trying to be kinky again?"

"Oh, don't tease me with those words." Jihl said, meaning the 'unmentionables' that only turned her on. "We'll really give Mums a heart attack when they walk in on you sexing me up." Lightning's smile was so sweet and genuine; it lit up her eyes Jihl loved so much. "Anyway, what I was saying before your blatant attempt to turn me on," Jihl went on, "Was that I think you're meant to be a Mom." Jihl hurried on before Lightning could say something sickeningly sweet that would make her mush inside and scoff. "I mean it. You're so good at this, Claire. It's like you're meant to be pregnant."

"We're both gonna make good moms," Lightning insisted softly. "We've got a lot of help around us to assure that."

Jihl smiled and squeezed her hand to get out the rest. Lightning would assure her till kingdom come, and Jihl believed she could be decent with Lightning's help, but that wasn't the point of her bringing it up. "I just wanted to say," Jihl persisted, "I'm glad you got the chance to. To really be as you should during pregnancy, you know? Not afraid of… of having baby girls."

"We'll get five of them this time," Lightning reminded gently, sounding happy as Jihl thought she was about it. "It… feels right, you know?" Lightning squeezed her hand again. "I know you're having a rough time with this part of it, Jihl, but I really think, bringing up girls away from that… you're gonna be great too."

"Don't make my hormones act up," Jihl blamed, biting her smile.

"You started it," Lightning chided.

"Jihl!" Someone called from the open stairs, and in another minute, a white-dressed Umbra showed up. "My baby," Jeanne gushed in all the fretting of a loving parent and hurried to the side of the bed. "Thalia just told me," Jeanne informed, instantly wrapping her arms up under Jihl's before she had even completely turned. She lifted her partially from the bed, squeezing her girl in hugging. "Oh, Jihl." Jeanne breathed, holding her. "My girl. I'm so sorry for your scare."

"Muum," Jihl warmed in the loving arms of her mother. "I'm okay." Jeanne held her a moment longer, savoring her healthy girl in her arms before she dared let go, gently, laying Jihl back to the bed.

"How are the babies?" Jeanne asked attentively, laying a hand to Jihl's stomach with no mind of her daughter's nakedness. "Are you sure you're feeling okay, Jihl? I can call Thalia back here if you feel safer with her nearby."

"I'm okay, Mum," Jihl assured again, "Thalia said I'd probably feel kicking in a few days once my stomach drops. I should be alright."

"Oh, Jihl." Jeanne ran a hand over her forehead and hair, stroking her. "Thalia told me she expected a nine-month birth."

Jihl nodded, "See? There was good news, Mum."

Jeanne looked into her with all the adoration of a mother beholding her girl in worry and love. "Do you need anything, Jihl?" she spotted the end of the meat stick in her hand. "More food? Or a bath?" she asked quick on second thought, "We can get you and Claire into the master bath off of our bedroom. It's much bigger than yours; big enough to fit both of you very comfortably."

"Ooh," that tempted Jihl sorely. Since getting big, she could share neither bath nor shower with Lightning. At first sign of her interest, Jeanne jumped.

"Let's do that," Jeanne said immediately. "We'll get both you girls settled in there."

"They could use the moonlight," Farron added from the door. "We can open your door to the courtyard for their fresh air and its glow." Jeanne and the girls glanced to her. Jeanne stroked a hand through her hair, then scooped Jihl up promptly.

"Can you give me a hand, Farron?" Jeanne asked, carrying her daughter with ease, as had Cereza. "Can you carry Claire?"

"Of course."

Jihl tucked in her head against her mother. She knew she was getting extra special treatment for the scare, but it felt so nice to be loved by her mothers so much, cared for by all her parents.

"Everyone's toting my girlfriend around," Lightning lightly complained to Farron, who kissed her forehead and picked her up as well, taking a little more effort than Jeanne. "Dad," Lightning blushed at being lifted in such a fashion. Upright standing, even shorter than Lightning, it made a funny scene to watch.

"Shush you," Farron hushed, "I will take you down these stairs."

"You're alright carrying her, Farron?" Jeanne checked, obviously concerned as well.

"Bah!" Farron huffed, "You Umbra wound a Yun's ego, you know."

Jihl smiled and rested her head against her mom. Quite a change and very pleasant, it was nice to have a family that cared.

**1230, AS: Ocelot: Full Moon**

**2 Nights Later**

"You're building a railing?" Farron asked, surveying the wooden beams Fang had toted into the bedroom that lay against the corner on papered flooring.

"It's for the bed," Fang explained, "It doesn't make sense to make five cribs, so I've been thinking about alternatives." She nodded to the second bed that'd been brought into Lightning's room when Jihl had been sick a few months ago. She picked up one of the cut and measured beams to demonstrate. Cut down, but not shaped yet, she held it up vertically a bit above the horizontal bed in the opposite corner of the room. "If we make a liftable side this bed, we can make it into a giant crib. When they're babies, we can separate them by pillows to keep from rolling on each other, and it'll still be big enough when they grow a bit."

"That's a good idea, Fang," Farron claimed, stepping over to envision it with her with the blocks they had. Fang demonstrated how they could make it liftable. "How long were you thinking about this?"

"Just a couple of days," Fang took the piece back and laid it with the rest to grab a bigger one and make sure it measured up. "Jihl's been a little upset the past few days, and she's working really hard for the babies. She put on a pound in two nights! I just thought… maybe it'd make her feel better, seeing where her babies will be when they come out."

Farron's face lit up with her heart; her girls couldn't have ended up with a better father than Fang. Fang had rough patches around the edges, it was true, but in that scarred, tormented body, her heart of gold shone. Farron laid a supportive hand on Fang's shoulder and squeezed. "Thank you, Fang. What you do for my daughters… I'm happy they have you."

"I'm just glad to be included, Ser."

"Do you mind if I help out?" Farron asked. Fang's formalities with her aside, she'd come a long stretch from avoiding Farron at every corner. It wasn't all well; Farron knew she still carried around that guilt over her people with her nearby, but she was happy enough with the progress they'd made and how much Fang allowed herself to speak with Raina in Farron's stead.

"Sure, of course," Fang allowed, "But we have to hollow out the wood in addition to carving."

"Hollow for what?" Farron asked, "You plan to put an element inside them?"

Fang picked up a long rectangle of wood they'd be carving. "I've arranged with Raina to trade with a Teff blacksmith for her to reinforce the wood with liquid adamantite."

"Adamantite?" Farron asked in alarm.

"I'll have it solidified within the wood," Fang assured. "There won't be sharp edges, and the wood won't break."

"You think my grandchildren need adamantite-reinforced bars?!" Farron balked.

"For their safety," Fang put in.

"You want to cage my grandchildren!"

"Isn't that the point of cribs?"

"Not with steel!"

"They're my children," Fang pointed out more calmly, "They'll have my strength and that of an Umbra. Rhea can already lift a behemoth if she wanted."

"Rhea's almost nine!" As much as Fang knew how they'd grow strong, Farron couldn't have her second generation behind bars. "Wood will hold them for as long as they still need the crib. No bars!"

From the doorway, a soft chuckle echoed, making Fang and Farron turn to see Raina in the doorway with Serah, who ducked down and away before Raina came in. "Working on a project, my girls?"

"You!" Farron spotted, accusing, "You _knew _she wanted to cage my grandchildren!"

"Farron, darling," Raina laughed, "Fang's right about their power. I expect our grandchildren will be incredibly strong."

"I won't have it!"

"Okay, darling." Raina leaned to kiss the top of her lengthened, pink strip. She ran her fingers through the fine hairs on the side of Farron's head, and Farron caught something between her and Fang.

"What—! What was that?" Farron balked. "You winked!"

"Who, Sweetie?"

"You just did to Fang! I saw it!"

"Me?" Raina asked with a smile. "Don't be silly, dear."

"You did it again!"

"Did you see a wink, Fang?"

"No, Madam."

"See, Farron? Now you're imagining things, dear. My poor, sleepy Yun."

"I'm not sleepy!" Farron protested, "And I'm gonna be here every minute to supervise this project!"

Raina kissed her again, fond.

**XXX**

"What'cha watching?" Rhea poked up curiously out of nowhere at her side, startling Serah. "Ohh, watching Fang again, huh?"

Serah colored faintly, caught by the little one. "Just watching the crib construction."

"From the secrecy of the half-closed door?"

"Oh, shush," Serah hushed the little one with a tap. "She knows I'm here. I just don't want to disturb her while she's working."

"Yeah, 'disturb.'" Rhea agreed, giving Serah a look she shushed off. Rhea peered in where she was and watched Fang take a knife to a piece of wood, carving different pieces with Farron. "I wonder if Fang's pointy comes up when you're staring at her, smelling funny."

"Rhea!" Serah balked, reaching to cover her mouth in red-faced horror. She backed with the little one from the doorway and whispered in a softer voice. "She can hear you!"

"What?" Rhea asked, muffled through Serah's hand as greening eyes, growing more clear and pretty by the month looked up at her innocently. "Her pointy goes up when Lightning smells funny."

"What are you, determining factors that affect Fang's pointy?"

"I'm just curious," Rhea shrugged, taking down Serah's hand from her mouth. "Mummy said Fang's pointy problem was cured, but I still see it all the time when Jihl and Lightning are with her."

"Maybe you should stop paying attention to such things." Serah suggested.

"Why?" Rhea asked back in ever-curious innocence, "Nobody else I know has a pointy. It's interesting." Serah sighed. Rhea continued on jubilantly without a care in her little world. "I have another theory on it! Do you want to hear it?"

"Probably not, but go ahead."

"Well, Fang gets her pointy when people start to smell funny. And she's got that special sniffer that's all sensitive and that! But Mummies don't smell funny anymore after Raina cured them, so it just happens when my aunties come in and visit now, right?"

"Um," Serah cleared her throat nervously, sure that was much too close to speculative truth than anyone wanted Rhea to know. "I don't know about that, but…"

"Well, I do," Rhea claimed proudly, "I've seen it! But anyway, sometimes Fang gets a pointy when no one smells funny, and that only happens around Lightning and Jihl, most of the time when she's making goo-goo eyes at them. And she's only started doing that because they have big bellies full of her babies now, you know?" Rhea straightened proudly, "So I think, if _you _got a big belly with Fang's babies inside, she'd have a pointy around you too, Serah!"

Serah choked in her throat. "Rhea! That is inappropriate speculation. I wouldn't have Fang's babies."

"Well, you shouldn't," Rhea figured out, "Because Lightning's your sister, and sisters don't have babies with the same woman. Or they shouldn't, I think," Rhea revised, "But that doesn't stop you from staring at Fang with the goo-goo eyes, smelling funny like you wanna make her pointy."

Serah made another noise in her throat, giving her another moment to clear the less-than-innocent thoughts in her head about Fang's pointy and pregnancy. "Maybe you should aim your efforts at something besides trying to figure out Fang's pointy…"

"Why? I think I'm really onto something, don't you?"

"Serah?" Lightning's voice drifted from downstairs.

"Up here," Serah called back as slow footsteps followed. Serah ventured back a few feet to the top of the stairwell to see her sister making her way up. "Do you need help?" Serah offered, starting for her to assist.

Hand on the rail, other braced under her belly to support herself, Lightning shook her head. "I've got it," regardless, Serah helped her a bit. "Thanks. What are you two up to?" Lightning asked when she saw Rhea there at the top of the stairs with her.

"We're talking about how Serah having Fang's babies might make her pointy like she is around you!"

Lightning lifted an eyebrow. Serah could feel her cheeks warming. "We're doing no such thing."

"Yes we are!" Rhea protested, "I found Serah staring into your room after Fang again! She wants your baby daddy, Lightning."

"Rhea, shh!" Serah cried, face getting warmer. To Lightning, she insisted. "She's exaggerating. I never said that."

"Uh-huh," Lightning put a supportive hand on Serah's shoulder, other arm still cradling her belly. "Just remember, Serah. Fang gives children in threes."

Serah's face burned. Her sister was only teasing, but it didn't stop her from shooting Rhea a glare as Lightning passed. "Tattle." Rhea smiled, guilty and unashamedly giggling as Lightning moved down the hall.

"What's Fang doing in the room?" Lightning asked, stopping when she came upon the door and saw. "Fang…"

"Fang's about to get a pointy," Rhea whispered to her.

"Shh!" Serah hushed, "Mind on other things, Rhea!"

"Claire," Farron greeted first and explained, "It was Fang's idea to cheer Jihl up."

"She's going to be so touched," Lightning breathed, sounding very much affected herself.

"We can paint them pink," Fang said, indicating the bars they were carving. "Or something else, if you want it."

Lightning knelt on her knees and gave Fang a side-hug on the floor, the only kind she could now with a belly so round. "Thank you."

"See Fang's pointy!" Rhea whispered excitedly and was shushed.

"We'll get Jihl," Serah volunteered, dragging the little squirt with her so Lightning could have a moment. As she turned away, her heart warmed; Lightning would have the best with Fang, and Serah was happy for her sister to have it.

**1 Night Later**

Contentedly, Jihl munched a celery stalk, contemplating the list of names before her while Fang cooked at the fire nearby. Nobody had left her for more than a few minutes since the scare, and this was no exception. With all four her parents all away and busy with Cocoon dealings, and Lightning taking a bath upstairs, Fang was left with strict command not to let her out of her sight for long.

Thus, she cooked in the kitchen fireplace for her instead, content with her chore to take care of Jihl. "What do you think about an addition to the mansion?" Fang asked, raising Jihl's eyes from the list in surprise.

"Hmm?"

"Rhea and Serah already share the living room," Fang pointed out, speaking of the converted bedroom they'd made for the young sisters. "And when the kids get old enough, they can't always sleep in your room. I wonder if Jeanne and Cereza would support an addition to the mansion."

"You've been thinking about this." Jihl detected.

"A little bit. We could extend it into the backyard, which is huge, it goes on for acres you know. We'll add a few more bedrooms and at least two bathrooms for the girls. We can push back the garden."

"Rhea's roses?"

"We pretty much killed all of those," Fang pointed out. "Between falling and getting control again."

"Rose… Rosie…" Jihl murmured, contemplating. Fang went on.

"And if we need the extra space in the backyard, there's always trees in the woods that we could cut down."

"A little bit of thinking, huh?" Jihl asked with a faint smile. "First a crib, now mansion extensions. You know you're proposing an eleven-bedroom, six bathroom house there."

"Lots of people live here." Fang shrugged, then pondered. "That doesn't give Rhea and Serah their own rooms, though. Seven bathrooms might be better. Maybe another story to the house. Hmm."

Jihl shook her head with a wide smile. "You're charming, Fang."

Fang glanced back at her to see what she meant. Instead, she saw Jihl's eyes pop as she stiffened. Fang dropped the food on the hotplate at once and rushed over. "Jihl! What's wrong?"

"Fang," Jihl breathed, holding her stomach, which made Fang's heart race all at once. She almost tumbled out of the chair in pulling out of it, but Fang caught her quick.

"Jihl— "

"Fang, they're kicking!" Jihl grabbed her arm and laid it to her belly. "Can you feel them?" Fang's heart raced in her throat. "Do you feel them, Fang?" Jihl rapidly reached for the hem of her dress and ripped it up when she caught a part of it in her fist. She pulled it fully up so that Fang could feel bare skin. "Tell me it's not just me," Jihl asked in a rushed breath. "Do you feel them?"

And then, Fang did. Against her arm Jihl had laid to her belly, the slightest, small press could be felt against skin. Fang's breath caught all at once. She moved her arm to put her hand there instead. The little press came again against fingers. "You feel it, right?" Jihl asked, almost frantic. She laid her hand atop of Fang's. "Right there." Jihl seemed to have a hard time breathing, then her eyes widened so big as she gently touched another part of her belly. "And there." Tears were starting to fill Jihl's eyes. "Fang, they're _moving _for me. Oh, babies," Jihl bit her lip. Fang was a bit more speechless than her, heart swelling in happiness. This was what was supposed to happen. Her babies were finally kicking for Mom. Fang felt like a bubble, but she sunk to her knees, feeling both places on Jihl's round stomach with her hands.

"Cordelia," Jihl gushed, fingers half laying over Fang's there on the right side as she tried to catch her breath. The name utterance caught Fang completely off guard, swelling her chest near bursting to hear Jihl calling one of her unborns by name already. She'd had such concerns when she and Lightning first became pregnant, especially with Jihl, and Jihl's hard time with the pregnancy barely helped, but to hear Jihl uttering the name of one of hers already… Fang swelled with pride and happiness like an ecstasy.

"My girls," Jihl breathed, almost crying again. Fang lifted her hand only slightly with Jihl's to bow her head in and kiss the spot of the right one's kicking. She did the same with the other side. "Oh, Fang." Jihl started to weep in happiness. Fang did what felt right and wrapped her arms around Jihl's round belly and back, gentle as always. She felt another pulse from their children. "They're moving for us!" Jihl claimed in a weepy voice, quickening Fang's heart. Hands come in around to rest about Fang's head. "Oh…God, I've gotta stop this crying shit." A loud sniffle followed, but she didn't let go yet. "Thank you… Fang."

"Am I interrupting something?" Fang's head lifted from her belly, where she'd rested it, spotting Lightning at the foot of the stairs. Jihl had turned her way too and sniffled again.

"They're kicking, Claire," Jihl breathed in happiness, drawing Lightning over at once. "They kicked for me and Fang."

"Oh, Jihl!" Lightning rushed over as fast as she could waddle with hers. Fang got to her feet and backed away for her to come over. Lightning gave her a side-hug and kiss to the cheek as Jihl took her hand to her belly.

"Stop making me cry," Jihl complained without intent or malice there, just more emotion. Lightning kissed her again, at Jihl's side, hand on the spot.

"I knew they loved you, Jihl."

"Damn babies." Jihl said in the same tone. She sniffed again, and re-noticed Fang. She waved her over to her side. "Fang, come on. This is your moment too." When Fang stepped over, Jihl put a hand at her back that might've been for more self-support than for Fang. "God," Jihl rested her head to Lightning's shoulder, finally settling down at last. Fang's heart still raced. "What do you guys think of… Rosalind?"

"Rosalind for a name?" Lightning asked, stroking her stomach.

"I feel bad that Cordelia already has one," Jihl confessed, "And Fang was talking about land and roses before this happened, and these damn babies make me feel like such a girl…" Jihl went on, rambling a bit. "I don't know. I'll tell you tomorrow if I still like it."

"I think it's beautiful," Fang contributed, finding the made-up name incredibly pretty and fitting, even with the ramble. Jihl lifted her head to look Fang's way and smiled in a very stunning way. She gave Fang's back a little rub.

"I think you're beautiful." Jihl answered in her silly daze. Lightning's lips twitched in a smile very attractively similar.

"We've had a lot of excitement. Maybe I should get you up to bed, Jihl."

"Noo," Jihl complained, then asked hopefully. "Can we take the bath?"

"I just bathed," Lightning said with a laugh.

"Please?" Lightning gave in, as she did for Jihl on popular occasion, in love with her too much to refuse.

"I'll help you over there," Fang volunteered, knowing there'd be a lot of waddling involved otherwise.

"Yay!" Jihl hugged to her in delight when Fang lifted her.

"Stay here, Lightning." Fang said, "I'll be back in a minute."

"Fang, that's silly— "

"Shh, Claire." Jihl hushed, hugging up around Fang's neck in resting. "Fang gives nice, royal treatment." Jihl's lips found the underside of her chin briefly before she rested against Fang again. "Thank you, Fang."

"Isn't it just as hard for you to walk like that with her?" Lightning echoed after them. Fang hadn't even noticed till she mentioned it. Jihl settled in her arms.

"I had a moment back there," Jihl finally said when they reached the bathroom and Fang settled her into the tub with the water running. She caught Fang's eye before she could go back for Lightning. "I'm glad you were there to share it with me, Fang."

"Me too," Fang told earnestly, hesitated, then stepped back to lean over and kiss the top of Jihl's head before she left, the woman holding her children who'd made those moments possible for her too. Fang whispered over her head. "Thank you," and left for Lightning, heart inappropriately fluttering in her chest.


	4. Chapter 4

**1230, AS: Jaguar: Full Moon**

**1 Month Later**

"Help…"

Paradiso Umbra Persephone's head lifted sharply at the faint outcry, barely imagined on the wisp of a carrying wind. She listened and cursed silently for Farron's absent presence from her search group at this hour. The Yun woman couldn't be everywhere, of course, but it was damn handy to have her ears and nose on the job when this kind of scenario hit.

Beside her, the long-legged, brunette-haired Athena made noise in searching that Persephone shushed with a sharp hand gesture. "Quiet!" Athena paused, listening with her, but Persephone didn't hear anything else. She looked to Athena, who shook her head. "Why don't we have a Yun around here?" Persephone asked in the same sharp whisper. They must've both gone with Techne off East. Persephone cursed again silently, but before she could even finish the foul words in her head, a sound uttered, like a faraway cry. Persephone went rigid at it. Athena had heard it too. Within a second, Persephone snapped them both into the time-slowed zone only an Umbra had the ability to: Witch Time. They wouldn't be able to hear in this out-of-normal-time dimension because voices, with everything else, would be slowed to a crawl, but it'd give them more time to search the surrounding area without someone getting away.

Persephone motioned Athena. "Get a Yun," Athena nodded and took off. It'd be a rude intrusion almost like teleportation to the Yun she found, but Persephone knew for a fact that she'd heard some kind of cry. She took off in the other direction they hadn't searched yet today. Allies wound like common streets through Palumpolum, back ways for everything, created when this world had been nearly overpopulated with Umbra and Sages. The city had been erected as a fine commercial center for them all that long ago, with many paths for the various Umbra and Sages stalking the streets. A communal town for both of them to enjoy city pleasures. Now, the many paths did nothing but frustrate Persephone as her pistol-heeled footsteps echoed on stone as she made her way.

Frustrated, Persephone took a path near the tunnels again. They'd searched these already, of course, but these men festered like a disease, refilling old spaces like cockroaches or a spreading plague. Big, spacious, self-sufficient spots, these were the kind of places they liked to fill always, doing all kinds of ghastly things, even in surviving. When she'd gone a little ways and found nothing, Persephone trekked back with a heavy sigh. She found Athena just returning with a Yun. They clicked out of Witch Time in an instant to Styx's great dismay.

"Whoa," Styx' hands went up to her brown and blonde head of highlights as she tilted back, leaning back to Athena for support. "That's disorienting." "Whoa," Styx' hands went up to her brown and blonde head of highlights as she tilted back, leaning back to Athena for support. "That's disorienting." She blinked a few times, but something caught her attention fast. "Wait," Styx half-straightened, inclining her head. She took in a quick breath. "This way."

Almost stumbling when she pushed off, Persephone and Athena took off after the Yun. They made a few unerringly accurate turns, took the back path like Styx knew where she was going, and came upon a ghastly sight Persephone had grown all-too acquainted with over the past couple of months.

A woman sobbed on all fours, dirt-smeared tears clouding her eyes, which were unviewable for the large, hairy penis making her choke. The standing man gripped her hard by the hair, completely controlling his thrusts as the woman struggled to breathe. If that wasn't bad enough, another man, older, had her waist in his beefy paws. Her whole body wracked with convulsions each time as her sobs came as chokes.

"Fucking bitch," the standing one growled. "I'll give you a reason to cry."

Persephone's eyes lit up in rage and a swarm of emotions. In an instant, it wasn't a faceless woman there. Replaced atop the helpless woman they'd helped a hundred times before, Persephone saw Pheme, her young daughter who'd have barely been 37 by now. Fourteen when she was taken to this sick land of barbarians and thugs. The woman's pain became her little girl's. Hatred beyond loathing welled in her chest. Blood sprayed everywhere. Brick crumbled from the wall. "Don't hurt her!" Someone was saying, "You don't hurt her! Fucking bastard! You soulless, fucking bastard of stone!"

"Persephone!" Arms wrapped around her from behind and pulled. "Let him go!" Someone hissed right in her ear. She couldn't. "He's dead!" Athena hissed a second time, arms tightening down around Persephone's in the constraining hug. "Let him go." Athena repeated and repeated again. Gradually, the red haze cleared from her eyes. Persephone saw half a bloody stump of a head, split and blood-soaked. Between his legs, another bloodied mess marked she'd had the presence of mind to crush his penis first. Persephone couldn't remember it, but she was glad for having done so. The sickening, fucking bastard. She threw his limp filth to the busted-in brick wall.

Persephone tried to regain herself with Athena whispering to calm her so. She looked to the right where the sobbing, choking woman now rested in Styx' arms, gazing up at the two Umbra with wide eyes of horror. She tried to voice the words of an apology for a full thirty seconds, but they wouldn't come. With the other man's body limp and dead against the opposite wall, there was nothing she was sorry for here today.

"U— Umbra?" the woman finally choked with a scratchy, tortured throat, looking petrified in gazing up at them, then at Styx, the Yun holding her.

"Yes, we're Umbra." Athena confirmed, finally letting go of Persephone with a warning look to let her handle it. "We're here to help." Athena motioned to Styx to pull her back from where the blood had begun to pool and flow. With one easy lift that had the woman's breath catching in fright, Styx pulled her into her arms bridal-style to keep her from it. Though clearly frightened out of her mind and beyond, the woman choked.

"T— thank you," the woman inhaled a deep breath, seemingly in pain, but she took in all three of them when she barely whispered as if beholding glory, "Goddesses."

It might've been inconsiderate, but Persephone's thoughts only revolved over to one place over and over. "Are there more?"

"Yes," the woman croaked, getting a look in her eyes over it that reflected real horror again. "L— lots of us. They've holed us up. I tried— escape." She closed her eyes and swallowed hard, probably still enduring the phantom abuse in her mind with her throat all raw and scratchy. Or they could've been sores. Persephone remembered speaking to Thalia of Jihl and Lightning's conditions coming in. They'd processed hundreds of women like that and worse. "Please." The woman begged.

"Where?" Persephone asked sharply, and the woman swallowed again.

"T—Tunnels," she finally managed, "They've avalanched the entrance. I've carved— the pipes," she started choking and coughing again, "Y— you must— " Persephone started back at once, but a strong grip on her arm stopped her in her tracks. When she looked, Athena's piercing green eyes cut into her hard.

"Take her back."

Anger, indignation, and fear rushed up all at once. "I'm fine," Persephone answered definitively and hard.

"No, you're not." Athena glanced at the woman and Styx. Then she looked to the corpse in the rubble of brick. "Styx will gather the other Umbra in this area. You take her to the settlement."

Persephone saw her justified vengeance being pulled from her fast. Athena didn't think she could handle it because of her outburst in envisioning Pheme, but she could. She had to. "I need to go with you."

"Persephone!" Athena cut in, sharper this time. "You'll come on the next one. As your friend," she nodded back to the woman, "Take her home." Persephone's heart ached. Every time they found a new settlement of them hiding out, the 'just maybe' started up in her head and nearly drove her crazy in their searches to find some kind of evidence of Pheme's death. She'd heard it'd happened from Jeanne, but she had no real way of knowing anything beyond that. Jeanne might not have even told her the truth, but a merciful lie instead. Either way, she didn't know, and every time they found a new hideout—

"You'll be the first to know," Athena said, reading and interrupting her racing thoughts. "You know this. Persephone; go."

Persephone lowered her head, mind and heart racing so bad. Athena was right; this was their third find today, and she'd almost lost it on these men. The woman could've gotten hurt. Athena was right to dismiss her like this, but it hurt. "Alright," without another vying word on it, Persephone went over to Styx and held out her arms to receive the woman. "I'm getting you out of here," she told her, sending Athena back a pained glance.

"We'll see you later," Athena promised. "First thing. And we'll have more women to process."

Persephone just nodded. To get her mind off the bust, she started away with the woman and asked, "What's your name?"

"Ci… Cissy," the woman said, closing her eyes. "Because… because I'm an easy take."

Persephone had heard of this before. Many men of this world liked to rename the women off of their sexual traits so others would know what to expect of bedside practices. "Is there anything else you'd like me to call you?" Persephone asked kindly. The first step with most of these women were getting them out of the state of believing this would go on again. They had to break them of the routine of it before they started to believe and accept.

"I… don't know," she worked up the spit to swallow again, "Don't remember." Persephone supported her against her body more, cradling her.

"You won't have to worry about that anymore." Persephone promised the woman, "Where we're taking you, no man is ever going to touch you again. And you can call yourself whatever you want."

"Angel," the woman said, lifting a hand to Persephone's shoulder above her chest. She touched the cream-colored hair there Persephone wore like a bodysuit. She fingered the gold-adamantite bound links double-pierced in a V down her chest where the silken, blood-smeared hair was woven. "Will you be there?" Pleading, brown eyes asked, looking up at Persephone with hope.

"For awhile," Persephone tried to assure her. "I don't live there, but… I'll get you settled in."

"Thank you," the woman said again, resting her head against cream-colored strands. "Thank you…"

The woman drifted and Persephone let her rest as she traveled, making her way back to the village in Gran Pulse. She didn't Witch Time like she could've, but instead gave her feather-light companion some rest. Only when Persephone pulled up closer to Oerba in a naturally eroded passage of lush space and open pathways did she gently jostle the woman in her arms who's name she still didn't have to call by. "Wake up," Persephone urged quietly, rubbing her arm to rouse her. Tired, brown eyes blinked up, then glanced around at the lush grounds that'd once been a breeding hive for fiends.

Cleared out six months ago for the new expansion to settlement of relocated women, it was now free of beasts, replaced instead with houses, paved farmland, and domesticated animals that served as milk-providers or pets. The land had needed a little leveling here and there where the war had affected the land too much, but the Umbra had kept as much of it as possible the same. The wide, open expanses further down in the Oerban village proved excellent for establishment so that they hadn't had to disturb so much.

A noticeable difference, at least by Persephone, was the guard layout of Zyk sentinels patrolling the outer layout of the village. More patrolled inside, manning the area and keeping peace between the settlements, but their foremost duty lay in the patrol of these people and the village. No one was to get out unattended.

Persephone shrugged off the growing chill that formed whenever she entered these parts. One could never know what to expect from these rescued, Cocoon women. Some of them loved them and revered the Umbra as their saviors. Others loathed and spat quiet curses and mute glares in their passing. More than most lived in growing healing from tortured lives, adjusting slowly, but always afraid. A lifetime of slavery couldn't be erased within months. It could never be erased. What'd been done to these women put all of them in need of therapy and constant monitoring. Persephone shivered to even think of this community of corrupted women, collectively named Rue Borough by the Umbra.

"Where… " she swallowed harshly. "Are we?"

"This is your new home," Persephone told her as she took in the lush landscape on the way to the village. Persephone carried the girl on as she stared around in wonder.

"It wasn't a dream?" the girl asked with round eyes. Persephone shook her head. It took her another few moments to take in her surroundings and manage, "It's beautiful," she breathed at last, wide eyes taking in everything like little sponges. Persephone took her to the big, reinforced log cabin they'd built in the middle of a tight passage that they used for processing. Two stony-eyed Zyk sentinels glanced up at her approach and both politely inclined their heads.

"Madam,"

"There'll be more coming," Pesephone informed the watchwomen. "We may need more hands taking them all in through processing.

"Yes, Madam," the right-hand nodded, starting to go in ahead of them and held the door, "I'll rouse those at the barracks and round us more hands."

"Barracks?" her girl asked, a touch of fear in her voice.

"The Zyk around here are sentinels." Persephone explained gently, "They're here for your protection to keep the peace in the village. No harm will come to you from them."

As she entered the cabin, a brown-haired Croft at a desk looked up from her book at their entrance. "Madam Persephone," the girl sat up in her chair, put the book down, and asked. "Good evening. Who is this that we're taking in today?"

"Sweetie," Persephone roused the girl's attention from staring around in frightened wonder to her, "I still don't know what to call you," Persephone pointed out. "Do you want to go by Cissy, or was there another name you'd like to go by? We keep records with your entry."

"You… want me to pick?"

Sadly, her surprise was nowhere near surprising to Persephone. She'd seen this so many times before… these men had domineered so much of their lives, these women were stunned by any right asked of them. "It's your name," Persephone urged gently. "Pick something you like."

The girl's eyes rounded up at her in complete befuddlement. "Um…" she swallowed hard again, seeming scared and stressed, like she could somehow get the question wrong and would be punished for it. "I don't know… can you choose for me?"

Persephone's heart softened. She'd have to place this one in a softer home, maybe one of the Converts. She was so unassuming, Persephone wouldn't risk her on the far side of town where new girls usually went. She didn't sense a threat posed from this one, just innocent awe. She'd do best in a family home that'd already settled in warmly, some who were ready to receive her with gentle arms. "How about…" Persephone wracked her mind for a traditional Cocoon name from those she'd heard of other young, Cocoon girls. She stroked a hand up her back in supporting her, quick-jogging through options before trying to land on one for the girl. "How's… Aubrey?" Persephone asked, not really sure.

"Aubrey," the girl repeated softly, testing it on her tongue. She swallowed hard again, then looked up at Persephone with awe in her eyes. "It's so pretty."

"You can change it later if you like," Persephone offered kindly, "We just need to put something down in our records and can alter it if you want something else."

"No," the girl said quickly, then coughed and covered her mouth from the small fit. When it subsided, she said in a scratchy voice, "I'd love Aubrey… named by a goddess." She curled up closer in Persephone's arms like a cub. "I wish I could tell mom."

Persephone didn't know if the mother was left in the tunnels with the rest or dead, but these mothers of the girls were hardly fitting parents in most cases. Persephone knew the structure of it: women who got pregnant were left alone for the duration, taken out of the general midst of the victimized women and treated better until they had their child. It was a sick incentive to the women to produce children for these boars, and the effect had been widespread, but even with the relief of having a baby, Persephone couldn't condone any mother who let her baby girl live in that world. Whatever the consequences, it was inexcusable to her. She shuddered to think of this girl speaking of her mother with yearning; it wasn't right to hear.

"Aubrey, then?" the desked Croft asked.

"Yes, Valerie," Persephone confirmed, then asked the girl to steer her away from her mother-pondering. "Aubrey, would you like a glass of water, dear?" Aubrey's eyes practically shone with tears.

"Where is some?" Aubrey asked in that scratchy voice, struggling to sit up in Persephone's arms. "I'll get it."

"Shh, Aubrey, shh. I'll get it for you." Persephone soothed, keeping her down. She glanced at Valerie, picking through papers. "I'm taking her to one of the rooms. Thalia's here?"

"She's in the record's room," Valerie informed, picking up papers to take with her into the open cabin space of cots for notation purposes with her questions. Persephone walked with her into the open space lined with cots. Only one of them had an occupant, but Persephone had seen this room full and brimming on more than one rescue occasion. Persephone took Aubrey to the very back of the spacious area by the grated fireplace and placed her on one of the cots. Aubrey clung to her a little before letting go, then watched with big eyes when Persephone began filling a cup with one of the little water outlets they'd steered the way of the cabin.

"Valerie's going to ask you a few questions," Persephone advised, torn as Aubrey watched her with those big, glorifying eyes. It wasn't unusual for some of these girls to get instantly attached to their savior like this; Persephone just hoped she had enough time to calm her before the influx of others came. "They're just for records and eventual housing placement. Some of them deal with any living relations or friends you might have. It's okay if you can't answer them or don't know; just answer for us the most that you can, okay? I'm going to get your healer. She's the best at this kind of thing, and she'll treat everything you have, okay?"

"You'll come back?" Aubrey asked, perhaps a little fear filtering back.

"Yes," Persephone pointed to the only closed-off corner of the room that had a little walling off. "I'll just be right there. I'll be back in a moment."

"Okay," Aubrey agreed, relaxing back when she knew she wouldn't be far. She swallowed again and looked to Valerie. "Okay," she agreed again, giving the go-ahead to question. Persephone ducked out the room quickly to the little space they'd set aside for records.

"Thalia— " Persephone stopped when she came into the room, door shutting behind her, and found a full-grown, brown and black speckled jaguar curled up on a rug next to the wooden cabinets they used for filing. The cat's head resting on her forepaws, eyes closed, it took Persephone back just long enough to hesitate upon first sight.

Thalia had curled in sleeping in the form of a fearsome cat. It actually took a few seconds to digest, not because Persephone was stunned to see the giant jaguar in the room, but to realize Thalia had laid down for a short nap. Persephone couldn't tell much in her current form, but she judged Thalia had to be downright exhausted to resort to this. The woman spent so much time here, more than most of the Umbra for her accelerated ability to heal, she must've almost passed out like that, too concerned for her patients' fears to fall asleep like that out in the open, yet too tall to fit on one of the Cocoon-sized cots. Persephone didn't want to wake her and watched for a few seconds. She wished she could leave this woman to rest, but that wouldn't be possible with what was coming.

After giving her just a moment longer, Persephone went to the richly-furred cat, brown in her coat matching the color of Thalia's hair when she was human. Persephone knelt and gently touched her back. "Thalia," Persephone stroked down from the back of her neck in a short pet, avoiding the rings on her shoulders as the big kitty stirred under her fingers a bit. "Wake up," Persephone urged gently. Big gray eyes blinked once before her head lifted, taking in Persephone. "Hey," Persephone greeted, knowing she could hear her now. "I'm sorry to wake you, but I need you now. Come back to me now."

Thalia lowered her head, which Persephone pet one stroke before moving back as Thalia's body started to change. The kitty lengthened as legs reformed, arms and body becoming pale like Umbra flesh, her face shifted back in and changed to the lovely woman Persephone knew as a close friend. Muscles shifting, bones reforming, body taking entirely new shape, the jaguar before her became a long-legged woman of renowned beauty. Long, luscious strands of chestnut-colored hair extended out to cover that body and clothe her in their silken protection, weaving through the piercings strategically arranged over her body to hold the clothing in place.

Thalia lifted her head. Tired gray eyes stared into Persephone's. She tried to smile, but Persephone could see how tired she was in it all too easily. "You caught me in a catnap."

Persephone extended a hand to help pull her up, which Thalia gratefully took. "You've seen better days, Thalia."

"Haven't we all?" Thalia dusted herself off. "What've we got?"

"I want you to go home after this, Thalia." Persephone told her, finding it ironic Athena had sent her off only shortly ago. "You and Araidne need some time."

"We all do, Persephone," Thalia agreed sadly. "We're just needed too."

It was sadly true. Much of their time, what an Umbra had unlimited of, had been taken up with the handling of Cocoon these late months. Everyone was tired, and they all made sacrifices for it. It's how it had to be for a little bit in dealing. "I'll stay with Nephelai after this next rush coming shortly," Persephone volunteered for her. She wasn't much of a healer herself, but she and Nephelai could manage to give Thalia much-deserved time off. To rest up at the very least. "Go home with Araidne when we're done."

"We'll see," Thalia said, the words being as good as a fifty-fifty chance with her. By the end of the next influx of them, she'd be downright dead on her feet. Persephone would have her home by then. "Thank you for fetching me."

"As long as you go by the end of it." Persephone negotiated. Thalia smiled tiredly.

"As long as you fetch me again, okay."

"Before you even want me to," Persephone promised, opening the door for her.

"I appreciate it, Persephone." Thalia grabbed her hand in passing in true appreciation. "Thanks."


	5. Chapter 5

Gunshots echoed, screams resounded, and blood spurted all over the walls. Blood pooled around the bodies they'd been forced to take out. As a rule, they tried to avoid killing in front of the panicked women, but it couldn't always be avoided when the men got violent, which happened more often than not.

Paddra Yun Rowan made her way down the tunnels they'd discovered through the pipes. The Umbra had cleaned the entrance in seconds and they'd all pushed inside. Many of the men had wisely fled and been chased down by the Umbra who were still searching deeper in the open-spaced layout that had floating platforms all over the maze of terrain. Rowan was part of the slower, but important Yun team going after surviving women, secret passages the Umbra might've passed, and assembling escort through the chaos back to Gran Pulse. She winced when she passed a crumpled dead body like a squash. All of these men deserved it, but she still hadn't gotten used to the gore or the body counts.

They'd clean up those leftovers later with fire; as for now, Rowan simply picked up a nearby blanket and covered him. Much as some of these women hated the men, exposing the actual gore of it shouldn't be exposed to them. Some didn't even hate them, something Rowan still found difficult to fathom after all the volunteering she'd done in Cocoon.

Rowan slipped through a side passage with her closest mate, Styx, and a couple other Yun. They rode one of the annoyingly slow, floating platforms to a lower level. The place had probably been skimmed already by Umbra, but the pursuit of fleeing men would've left the women behind for them. She didn't see or hear any other of their search parties on the lower pathways, but whimpering could be heard from closed off rooms. As party leader of her particular band, Rowan listened and motioned for the rest of her party, prescribing caution and silence as they went on. A slight, impossible breeze picked up long, loose brown hairs from her head, carrying the arm-length, long strands on the wind. "Keep quiet," Rowan advised, reaching for the falchion's hilt strapped at her side. They wouldn't want to alarm the group with drawn weapons if they were women, but if they came upon men…

Rowan's small group kept silent as they crept to the first side-carved entrance that usually led to the room of women in this place. Rowan led the way, and when they reached the stone door, she pushed it in slowly, though it creaked as it opened. "Don't take a step further!" A low, deep voice ordered. "We'll kill them!"

Rowan couldn't see the man or men in the room yet for the door blocking that corner from view; she'd not yet even stepped into the room, which looked painstakingly bare with only a large cot in the corner that reeked of stains and blood. Rowan's nose crinkled. The scent of these men were bad enough, worse when compounded by their lust. It gave her a headache. "You kill them, you're dead." Rowan echoed back, using her other senses to detect the sounds of labored breathing coming from the closest rightward corner of the room. By the sound of it, there were six people taking breaths, but not all were men. They smelled too similar in this pit for Rowan to make out how many were men.

"We're dead anyway, aren't we?" The man breathed, labored. "We know what you do to us. You don't spare any."

"If you know what we'll do to you, you know how long it can take." Rowan answered evenly, unwavered by his desperation. "Days, weeks; I'll keep you alive for months if you harm them."

"No…"

"You'll bite a bullet if you release them," Rowan promised, priority now on the women. Whatever they did with the men could be determined after they'd been made safe. "Let them walk out to the door, and you'll die quicker than most." Rowan spotted something curious as she inched wider her vantage point. There was a second door at the back. Glancing back to her team, she nodded the two others around the outer passageway to see if it connected around the back.

"No," the man said again, more firmly this time. "If I die, they die. You'll let us onto the platform or they're dead."

"She's going to kill Lecky!" someone cried, followed by a gasping plead. "No…"

"I'll kill you both," the man hissed, then threatened. "None of you move! Keep your head down or I'll snap it, dammit!"

"That's not going to happen." Rowan drew her falchion silently. She motioned to Styx left behind her. "This is your last chance."

"I'm not dying now! I could kill myself if I wanted!" The man yelled back, getting desperate.

"I'd recommend it." Rowan poked the edge of her sword out beyond the door's ledge to check. Nothing struck it, which meant they had no bullets, but the man's reaction was instantaneous.

"GET BACK! GET BACK OR THEY'RE DEAD! THEY'RE ALL DEAD!"

Rowan motioned to Styx again and stepped out into the open behind the door where a single man cowered behind three kneeling women at his feet, heads down and covered, with another right in front of him knife at her throat. The last woman looked pale and shaking; Rowan saw his arm held up, probably with another knife at her back.

"GET BACK!" the man shouted again as Rowan drew her blade up, completely masking Styx's smaller form and simultaneous moved behind her in drawing a knife from her belt. All at once, the door on the other side crashed in. The man's head flicked in an instant in that direction and Styx' knife went flying, where it stuck true into the arm around Lecky's neck. The man screamed and reared back, reaching for it with his other arm on instinct.

"Get down!" Rowan ordered, charging him head. Lecky screamed and dropped, but even if she hadn't, they'd still have him trapped. Rowan rammed him into the wall mercilessly, sharp falchion cutting into the arm with the second knife he hadn't dropped yet. She cleaved it clean off, falchion digging into the wall as his arm from the elbow dropped to the floor with a sickening _plop. _He screamed uncontrollably until Rowan ripped the dagger from his arm and held it to his chin. "Shut the fuck up before I cut out your tongue." The man tried to quiet, unable to keep from crying and moaning. Rowan jammed the dagger into his abdomen where it wouldn't kill him and pierced right through to embed him in the wall. The man gurgled on the rich scent of blood in his throat. "Stay there." Rowan commanded, pulling her falchion free to sheath and turn to see the women being led out by her pack. Rowan cast a scathing glance back at him before following them.

"My knife?" Styx asked when the door closed behind her to cut off his moaning.

"Give it a few minutes."

Styx' nose crinkled in distaste. "Man guts, yuck."

"You!" the dirty-haired blonde previously identified as Lecky said upon spotting her. Rowan found herself suddenly wrapped in an embrace before foreign lips were on her cheek. "You saved us." She tucked her head in against Rowan's shoulder and nuzzled, heart racing a million miles an hour where Rowan could feel it against her breast. "You angel," the woman breathed, shaken, "You absolute godsend."

Styx gave her a wiseass look from behind the woman's back, which Rowan rolled her eyes at. She lifted her arms to the woman's back to comfort her as they'd learned to do many saved women ago. Styx turned around with a smile and helped two of the other women sit down and give them water to keep them from going into shock.

"So beautiful…" the woman hugging her was saying. "You're so beautiful…"

"Ack!" Styx cried out suddenly, falling back from her crouch to her butt. Rowan lifted her eyes to her mate again to see one of the women sit up on her knees, eyes wide in awe or interest.

"Is that…"

"Ah," Styx snapped her legs together, "Sorry, I'm a little sensitive," she put off.

The brunette's eyebrows drew together before her brow flattened out in wonder. "You have a penis."

"Uhh…" Styx common sense registered too late. "I mean, what?"

"You do, don't you?" The woman's brown eyes bulged. She moved forward then, crawling over Styx' lap until she seated on her legs. "But… you're a woman."

"Uh—"

"Styx—" Rowan started to cut off.

"Your penis," the woman said, scooting up on Styx lap. "It works? Like a man's?"

Styx' features drew together in an untimely pout. "It's nothing like a man's!"

"You can impregnate." The woman said, going off her limb. She reached for Styx' crotch. "Impregnate me, heroine." Styx _eip_ed, which meant she was as good as touched. Her hands flew up to the woman's shoulders to push her back, but the woman must've had her in a grip already for how Styx stiffened. "Angel," the woman breathed, "Take me. Give me a baby girl, angel. For saving us." She insisted, really getting settled on Styx' lap. Worse, the other women were looking on. Styx' hand flew to her penis to remove the woman's grip through her pants. Rowan started extracting from Lecky, but the woman looked up at her with big eyes, refusing to let go.

"Are you like that?"

Rowan pulled her off fast.

"How do you like it?" Another voice asked. Rowan told Lecky to stay and hurried to her woman fast, who now had two Cocoon women crawling over her legs.

"Styx!"

"Girls, listen!" Styx insisted, squirming out. "No thank you. I have a mate already." Rowan helped pull her up with an annoyed glance.

"But you'd give us a girl, wouldn't you?" the first brown-haired assailant said, something deep and frightening opening up in her eyes. "You'd give female children. We will give them to you."

"That's okay," Styx said, trying to calm them. "You don't need to do that. You don't need to do that to anyone again."

"You saved us." The woman insisted, rising and going to Styx. "We want to."

Before Rowan could say or do anything, a hand touched her shoulder. She turned to look and was ambushed by another hand between her legs. "No man says no to sex," Lecky said, then her mouth lifted to Rowan's, on tippy toes to reach her. Rowan grabbed her shoulders and distanced her with a sharp look through clear, brown eyes that pierced as well as gray.

"We're not men," she gave the woman in front of her a hard stare down so she could understand that, then glanced back to the two others who'd shown interest in Styx. "And this is not why we saved you. Control yourselves, women." Intense interest still held in their eyes and faces, they'd stopped advancing. That was good enough for Rowan. Taking Styx' arm, she nodded the other way. "Get on the platform, ladies."

"She called us ladies," one of them whispered and giggled from behind.

"I wouldn't mind holding her babies."

"How did they get penises?"

"They'll kill you for even talking about touching a woman, Lel. Shut up."

"Don't be stupid. They're rescuing us, Refels."

"She could've cut off your hand!"

"She _didn't_."

"What's wrong with you?" Rowan hissed, casting Styx a severe frown.

"She touched me! It was an accident." Styx pleaded her case.

"Look, they're holding hands," another whisper came.

"They both have penises," Lecky objected. "Men don't fuck each other."

"We're not men!" Styx barked, making a couple of them jump as the platform floated with all of them.

"She heard you," a softer, fearful whisper said.

Refels dropped to her knees, head bowed down in an instant with her forearms to the ground. "I'm sorry, beautiful saviors. Please excuse my extreme offense. I'll do anything— "

"Get up," Rowan grunted, bothered by her pleading fashion. "Don't bow down to us." She gave Styx a sideways glance as Rafels got up with more apologies. "The Umbra aren't going to like this."

"I'm sorry," Styx pleaded with round eyes. Rowan dropped her grip from Styx' arm into her hand and squeezed.

**XXX**

"Exy, breathe!"

The woman's scream pierced the walls. Gadot cringed, keeping her legs apart to keep from clamping. There was so much blood. "I see the head," Gadot breathed raggedly. Nosed between Exy's legs, he moved a beefy hand down to receive the little one. "Exy, push! I see it! Just give it one more time."

"I AM PUSHING!" Exy sobbed in total agony. Gadot rubbed her leg. He'd never delivered a baby before, there was just so much blood. His hands and front were stained with it straight down. He tried to calm the poor woman in delivery with him.

"Just one more. One more, Exy."

Exy moaned. In another beat, the baby's cry outweighed hers. Gadot received him in a towel and severed the umbilical cord. "Exy…" The baby sobbed. Gadot wiped him as clean as he could with sterilized water while Exy continued to cry and moan on the towel-makeshift bed on the floor. "Exy," Gadot rushed over to her with the little boy. Tear-stained and blood-smeared all throughout her legs, Gadot would care for her a moment after she saw. He wasn't even sure he'd cut the cord right. "Look," Gadot insisted, baby wrapped in a fresh towel and screaming out his little lungs. It must've taken tremendous effort, but Exy finally opened her eyes.

"It's a boy," Gadot told, cradling him for her to see, hard-pressed to break that news to her.

"A boy…" Exy sniffed, tears streaming, then cried. "My baby!" Gadot carefully handed him over to her as Exy tried to sit up more. He eased her back down at an incline, settling the boy in her arms. "My baby," Exy cried again, holding the child to her breast. "Oh, God. He's beautiful, Gadot. So… beautiful."

When she seemed restfully settled murmuring to her child, Gadot returned and sterilized one of the bloody towels in thrice-boiled water to try to fix the mess he'd made of her uterus. He washed his hands in the bloody water. Exy hiccupped in pain at his meddling, but her sole notice was on the baby now. "Gadot," Exy reached for his hands where he gently pressed on her stomach.

"The placenta isn't out," Gadot tried to tell, worried for her.

"It'll come of its own," Exy grabbed his hand to keep him from the painful pressing. Her hiccups of pain abated as she tugged his hand over. "Our baby boy," Exy said, tugging his hand over to their child. "Look at our baby, Gadot."

"I know," Gadot agreed, equally awed. His second hand lifted gently to her sweat-stained head to pet back through her hair. After so much torment, Exy deserved this peace. His heart pounded, troubled. The Umbra were here, that much he already knew. It was why he'd carried Exy off to this back place in the farthest reaches of the tunnels. He knew what they'd do to him, and he didn't care, but Exy's boy… he silently prayed the rumors weren't true, that they wouldn't slaughter a child. They could torture him all they wanted for being a man in this wretched society, he wouldn't object, but his little boy…

Exy had been too out of it to realize what was happening at the first break in. She didn't know yet, and he prayed she wouldn't have to. Perhaps they'd be overlooked. No one had heard her screaming yet. Perhaps they'd get lucky enough to be passed…

Gadot doubted it.

Stroking gently through her hair, he spent what might've been last moments with the pregnant girl, doing his best to comfort her. She shifted after a few moments; Gadot went back to her legs to fetch the placenta coming out. "Look," he said, holding it up. "It's your baby's bedding."

"Put that down," Exy chastised with a faint smile. "Kiss your baby, Gadot."

Gadot went to her side and obeyed, gently laying lips to his soft head. Exy laid back and closed her eyes. "I want him named after you. Little Gadot."

Gadot's heart warmed incredibly. "You don't have to do that, Exy."

"Who else am I gonna name him for? No one's like you, Gadot." Exy rested, drifting off. "I want him… like you." Exy opened sad eyes on her boy, knowing the small probability of that outcome, but filled with hope. "You'll raise him, won't you? Raise him to... to be like you?"

"I'll do my best." Gadot promised what he could, knowing he wouldn't get the chance to. With a world like what they lived in, those principles would be hard to follow. They barely had morals concerning women, who served as a complete underclass close to slaves of the men. Well no, no 'close to,' they _were_ slaves to them. It hurt and sickened Gadot. Despite what he'd been taught coming up as a boy, he couldn't be so heartless as he'd been told.

The first girl Gadot had been with had been a young, scared girl. Only fifteen, he'd been given a thirteen-year-old for his birthday. She'd cried for hours after and in Gadot, something had broken. He'd spent the next sixteen years of his life in secret repentance to her and every girl he was 'given.' As much as it pained him, getting them pregnant did actually help in the sad society he shared with all these other men. He was always gentle, always as kind as he could manage to be. Women flocked to him; Gadot tried to help as many of them as he could. He could never bring himself around to behave 'as men should.' But it didn't make Gadot a good person. Not at all.

"Mmm," Exy rested with closed eyes, drifting to sleep. Gadot made sure her grip on the baby remained firm. He stood with her as she rested. She got twelve blissful minutes to rest. Then, the door blew in. Gadot found himself strangle-held to the wall within the second. He choked as a crushing force, able to snap his neck in an instant, held him firm to the wall. Something sharp and spikingly painful burned into his stomach, making him choke. Eyes so dark they were black pierced into his soul.

"NO!" Exy screeched from the bed, "HE'S NOT LIKE THEM, NO! DON'T HURT HIM! NO! GIVE ME MY BABY BACK! LET US GO!"

"It's a boy." A light-haired brunette said to the dark-haired women, both with the unique hair that covered their whole bodies and more. They were Umbra for sure.

"MY BABY!" Exy screamed.

"Kill him," the dark-haired one holding him ordered.

"Wait!" Gadot croaked, choking and lightheaded with a second slam to the wall, hard enough to crumble brick. His whole frame shook to his core. Fingers grabbed over his balls. "Please!" Gadot begged fast while he still could before the dizzying pain became unbearable. "You can castrate him! C-Castrate the baby. You don't have to kill him. You— " A pain so severe, it blinded him of everything else ripped through Gadot's body in an agonizing flash so fast, Gadot crumpled. Fire like scraping glass ravaged his scorching body like a plague. He cried out and started to sob uncontrollably for the pain.

"GADOT! HE'S INNOCENT, YOU FUCKING BASTARDS! YOU MONSTERS! GADOT!"

"Selene!"

"What the fuck are you doing, Athena?"

Something warm and blanketing rolled through him, abruptly cutting through the agony blinding enough to explode. The warmth spread, overtaking the pain. Something down there wasn't closing over right, but Gadot couldn't less care if that was closing over right so long as the pain abated. He'd thought he'd been prepared for it, but at that moment, Gadot would've done _anything _to end the pain.

"We've clearly missed something, Selene," someone was saying. Gadot breathed in raggedly as the mind-blasting agony abated.

"Let him rot," 'Selene' answered angrily. "We don't spare men, Athena."

"You don't have to spare me," Gadot gasped quickly, not sure how long he would have. He looked up to find blue-gray eyes in place of the black ones, which were glaring diminutively at the pretty, light-brunette clothed woman he assumed was 'Athena.' "But the boy," Gadot croaked, "Do you have to kill him? You can castrate—he'll never give birth again. Exy just had him. Please."

Athena glanced down to the child in her arms, and back to Exy on the makeshift bed, who'd gone silent for a moment now, though her screams resounded in Gadot's head.

"Athena…" the other one stated warningly, her glare withdrawn to a brow-furrowed staring. When Athena looked back at him, Gadot could see the pain and remorse in her eyes. He knew before she even spoke.

"I'm sorry," she apologized with true remorse in the words. Gadot hung his head. Exy started screaming at once, and a strong hand picked him up to his feet easily without a measure of trouble.

"Come on," the black-haired one, Selene, said under Exy's screams. "Let's go."

"DON'T YOU TOUCH MY BABY!" In another second, Exy was in Athena's arms bridal-style with little Gadot in her grasp. She sobbed and clung to the little one. "Gadot…"

Gadot hurriedly took a few steps towards her so Exy could see he was there. "It's okay, Exy." Gadot tried to soothe fruitlessly. The loss of a child for the mother would not be soothed. "They're going to take you someplace nice. You'll never have to be afraid again."

"I need you, Gadot." Exy begged, "I need you both."

"Exy, no." Gadot shook his head, pleading to give her any measure of peace that he could. "You're strong. You don't need me or any man. These women are going to take care of you. You'll be safe from all of us."

"No," Exy wept and clung to her child. "My baby, Gadot. Don't let them take my baby, no!"

Gadot comforted her as much as he was able in the brisk watch. Athena wouldn't look at them at all, face and jaw tightened up. Selene kept a watchful, untrusting eye on Gadot, right behind him. When they finally reached the lightness of day, past other women and men being led away or dragged, Exy started going crazy when Selene took the baby from her, Athena trying to tell them both, "We'll take her someplace safe."

"YOU THINK YOU'RE HELPING?" Exy screamed, squirming and struggling to get out of her arms. Athena's arms were rock solid. "LET ME GO! LEAVE US ALONE!"

Gadot looked up at both the Umbra women and pleaded one last heartfelt. "Can you give us a minute? You can be right there, just… give us a minute more with our child."

Selene tried to exchange a glance with Athena, but she was unable to look at them. "One minute," Selene allowed, then warned. "Don't try to run."

"We won't." Gadot promised. Athena put down Exy, who glared at her before her baby was delivered again. Athena and Selene backed off a few feet, allowing a minimum mediocre of privacy for them. "Exy, look at me," Gadot asked to bring her hateful eyes away from the Umbra. He took her shoulders in his hands to support her standing while she cradled their little one. "You have to trust these people. They're going to give you a better life. Better than I ever could."

"How is this better?" Exy's tear-streamed face turned to him. "They're taking you and little Gadot…" she sniffled. "I don't want a life without you."

"Exy, please," Gadot begged, heart tearing apart. "You're stronger than this. You don't need me, and… our son will stay pure this way. He won't ever participate in hurting any other women."

"I can't," Exy whimpered, weak for him. "They'll torture him."

"You can always choose to die with him." Selene answered her snootily, obviously close enough to overhear their conversation. Exy's head rose with rage in her eyes to Selene. "If you don't want our help."

"Selene…"

"We're obviously not going to be able to 'rehabilitate' this one, Athena." Selene shot back nastily. "She's a dangerous waste of time."

Exy's eyes hardened in hatred. "I won't," she vowed. The next minute, she kissed him and her lips were bittersweet. Too late, Gadot heard the sliding of his knife from sheath, the same knife he'd used to cut her umbilical cord not an hour ago. "I love you," Exy whispered. With a loud cry from the baby and a sudden, startled choke, Exy went limp in his grasp.

"EXY!" Gadot screamed, catching and carrying both their weight. He saw the knife sticking from her chest as the light left her eyes. She stared up at him, empty of life. A sob ripped up through his throat. He tried to yell 'heal her' as his mind raced to a thousand places he'd shared with Exy and other women, all broken, but before a word could get out when he lifted his head, Athena's double-barreled, sawn-off shotgun pointed at his head. Two shots rang off in a millisecond, one for him, and one for the baby. In a tiny second, all those racing pictures stopped, replaced by a hollow gong sound. Gadot crumpled to the ground, holding Exy. In another second, he was dead.


	6. Chapter 6

**XXX**

Miranda of Cocoon rolled over in bed at a miserable hour. Her eyes started to open and blinking, ocean blue eyes peered out to the off-white masonry of a windowless wall. 200 feet underground, a deep and spacious tunneling system had been converted long ago by Sages. Widened, walled, and made into a metal-supported fort even Miranda couldn't fathom, Eden was Henrificous' most prized and cherished base of operations. He even had fal'Cie down here: his mindless, working idiots, providing every natural source they needed. There was no time in this place Miranda knew of, which was how Henrificous liked to keep them: in the dark of most things.

Miranda hated him.

Rolling up out of bed, Miranda dutifully dressed in the long, silken green dress Henrificous favored most on her. It was better to keep his eyes on her as much as possible instead of Oriana; Miranda would walk out naked if she thought it'd keep his attention from her newly-created sister, but Henrificous wasn't like most men. He had no sexual passion that could be used to sway him, no drive that could be deterred by anything. He just had a goal to make and keep a legacy, and in that end, he wouldn't be stopped.

Sliding into the loose-fitting gown, Miranda turned to her newborn 'sister' in the bed on the opposite wall of hers. Only a few months old, reborn months, Oriana was already a grown woman of twenty-two, the same age Miranda had been when Henrificous had resurrected her. Miranda remembered little of those first few days, coming into the world, aged already with an old, wrinkly man standing above her, happy and awed with how he'd 're-made' her, but since then, Miranda had grown to hate him more than anything in this defiled world of men. She had barely started digesting her rebirth into her dead body, which he had re-crafted, before the raping started.

He'd de-aged himself by some ungodly practice. He told her it was why he'd shared a piece of himself with her in her re-making. He told her it was what she was for, and that he'd take care of her. It sickened Miranda.

A long time ago, she was weak enough to cry when he'd defiled her body. She hadn't cried for fourteen years since that nightmare. "Ori," Miranda moved over to her sister's bedside. Pale eyes closed, concealing ocean blues like Miranda's behind those lids, Oriana's shapely cheeks were lovely, sculpted like they were made for perfection, which they had been. Dark, black hair hung only a little shorter than Miranda's, but had the exact same coloring and toss. Anyone with eyes would call Oriana beautiful; anyone could appreciate her face. Anyone but Miranda, who shared her exact features: the features preferred by a Sage.

"Oriana," Miranda called again, extending a hand to touch her sister's shoulder in waking. Oriana startled, then blinked rapidly in waking. "Wake up," Miranda urged quietly.

"Miri?" Oriana asked with sleepy eyes.

"Henrificous hasn't come in to wake us yet," Miranda told her, their only measure of time passed in this place. Henrificous wouldn't let them know day from night in this underground place. Rightly so, he kept that weakness from them. 'Lumen' Sages were strongest in the daylight hours, Miranda had learned. Her powers weren't so great that she could tell the difference this far underground, but Sage could. Even buried this deep underground with no direct contact, he could tell the changes of day to night. He just didn't tell them.

"You're wearing my dress," Oriana picked out, pulling out of bed in her pajamas to get dressed.

"It looks better on me anyway." Oriana cast Miranda a smile over her shoulder as she changed.

"You _can _just admit you like my sewing, you know."

"You're a lovely seamstress, Ori." Oriana's smile grew to a grin.

"I know." She turned back to the closet and plucked something pretty from it. All of Oriana's woven work was nice, but Miranda was glad when she saw the familiar blue-gray color she put on. Sage wasn't fond of moon-reminding colors. "Don't forget to feed the fish, Miri."

"Doing so," Miranda noted, turning to the headboard side of her bed where a fairly large tank had been set into wall. She grabbed the control button hooked to a faucet line and held it for three seconds, releasing black-speckled fish food bits into the tank. Oriana came to her side in pulling on her dress over her head.

"So, you have plans for us today?"

"No different than usual."

"You stress yourself out with power-training too much," Oriana chided gently. "Dad's powers are strong enough to protect all of us."

Miranda shrugged. "Never know when they'll come in handy."

Oriana shook her head with a small smile. "Such an overachiever, Miri. Dad's really gonna be impressed when you decide to show him how much you've progressed."

"I hope so," Miranda echoed faintly, then shrugging off further thoughts on it, smiled at her sister warmly. "Come on, Ori. Let's go make breakfast."

**XXX**

"We are here to discuss the problem Paddra Yun Rowan has brought to my attention late this evening." Jeanne started, addressing all in the Umbra chambers from the bottom floor of the hall. Around her on either side, seats like royal thrones lined the upper balconies looking into the hall. They all overlooked the bottom, marble strip of flooring where Jeanne resided. To the back of the hall on the ground floor, Cereza sat in one of throne chairs place for the Umbra Elder and her wife. "Sisters, I request your silence until the matter is properly laid out."

Jeanne took in a breath. Selene's eyes narrowed on the tall, white-cream haired Umbra from her position in Fifth chair. She listened attentively, eyes flicking to her wife beside her in Seventh. Athena had her hands braced on the rail, ignoring her seat as Selene was to listen in to Jeanne's words. "During the raid today of Palumpolum and its undercity through the pipes, Rowan's team came across five women in one of the rescues, all successfully saved with the execution of a coward. Her sweep was clean, but on the retrieval of these women, one of them consequentially discovered both she and Stx' studly natures." Selene's narrowed eyes widened in the shared alarm of her sisters.

"How did this happen?" someone vied out of turn. It came as no surprise to Selene to hear Roma at the helm, interrupting when she was supposed to be quiet, annoying proceedings as usual. Her lip curled in distaste as the interjection went on. "None of us have echoed the Umbra Effect since we agreed upon Raina's Dampening Spell for Cocoon proceedings! You're telling us Styx and Rowan became aroused during a rescuing, revealing the secret of the Yuns to these heathens?"

"Styx was jumped by a Cocoon woman in gratitude who accidentally found out by her own probing," Jeanne answered sharply, equally displeased with the interruption.

Roma was always irritating, but she'd grown especially so with her second pregnancy. Half-full of the belly with a growing child of Fang's, she'd grown beyond pride to outright flaunting in glee, so very, very pleased with herself to be the only Umbra with two children of Fang's. Her flaunt represented importance, so she assumed, and she'd grown especially tiresome in assuming privileges and leniencies that were not hers to claim. She was a stupid, pompous imbecile Selene intended to overthrow as soon as her second cursed pregnancy was over. The cretin didn't deserve _one_ of Fang's, much less two like she'd been blessed with. The Gods certainly had a sense of humor concerning Roma. Selene scoffed.

"What happened wasn't her fault," Jeanne continued, "But it has consequences for all of us. So far, we've worked to keep stud nature from Cocoon successfully. These women are in no state of mind healthy enough to bear children, as was agreed by this council. This situation interferes with our intentions to let Cocoon women live out their lives here without the thought of pregnancy being an option, but the whispers now are sure to become rumors. I'm opening the floor to options concerning our continued use of volunteer, stud Yuns and any measures we may wish to take within the Cocoon community to counter this. You may speak if you have suggestion."

"Where are the women now?" Selene asked before anyone else could interject to question. The studs were something of a secret from these defiled women; Selene had no interest in perverting their minds with hope pertaining to them. Studs were off-limits to these women in all sexual senses, period. "Have they been quarantined away from the other women?"

"They are being held in a separate household, under watch and guard of the Zyk." Jeanne confirmed. "We're unsure if the Yun studs information has been leaked to other women yet. It does not appear so yet, but we are unsure."

"If there's a good chance the discovery has not been leaked, our solution is simple." Selene offered, "We need only to eliminate these women to keep the secret of the Yuns safe."

Her words were not met with nearly as much objection as they would've been seven months ago. Even Jeanne, long tired with the Cocoon conflict, only lowered her head tiredly with an expression of great distress. "We're not going to do that, Selene." Thalia volunteered against, sounding equally tired instead of convicted. "I nursed all the women back to health and have taken in their psychological profiles. Four of the five are blatantly against men already and show real signs of recovery being an option. Even the last one is not lost; only clinging to her pregnancy in hopes of delivering a girl. They are salvageable souls."

"Salvageable?" Selene took ripe advantage of the exhaustion in this air; it was something they'd been through time and time again, but Selene knew how to whittle when she saw the weakness in her sisters' convictions. Eventually, there'd be no protests at all. "What have we salvaged from Cocoon?" She posed, "We have a few hundred-some weak-minded women who _we _have been going through that hellish planet to save. And for what? The Dias' are dissatisfied with their home being occupied, as would any tribe, the Zyk serve as our watchful slaves, and we pick up 'volunteer' Yuns to use as bloodhounds, risking themselves against men for these women, who are themselves draining projects who need constant vigil, assistance, and resources from all tribes. What value do these women hold, aside from leeching of us our strength and that of _our _people? What good are we actually doing to save their wretched souls?"

"It is not up to us to decide the fate of life," Ariadne protested an old story from the Eighth spot. It was one she'd used a hundred times before as well.

"Is it not?" Selene challenged, "We've decided men's fate every day for months. We decide when a woman is out of her mind and 'unsalvageable.' Why should these women be any different than those? By Jeanne's own words, it was not Stxy or Rowan's fault. These women touched them, and it is a small sacrifice to keep the pollution from spreading—if we deem any of them necessary to save at all."

"We have already deemed that, Selene." Persephone at her constant vigil of Third spoke gravely. "You would have us throw seven months of work containing 800-some lives and three fourth's the wretched planet put to waste? You'd shame all of our efforts that every one of us has devoted. There is already rumor among the women of our reproduction. These five women, while concerning, would not bring about anything more than more stories to tell their peers."

"Stories that hold truth," Selene contested back, not letting her hold slip so easily. "Stories that will perk the interest of them and every other woman in that settlement who's desperate for child. Think of their mindless worlds, Persephone. They will prod our helpers; even if we remove the studs, they will search and touch— "

"And find nothing." Cereza answered from her throne spot on the floor.

"And contaminate our people," Selene answered. "We have enough worry about these creatures trying to seduce our people; if they have reason to get handsy enough, they will, and I do not have the faith in all our people in all those enlisted to help to resist all circumstances that come upon them from these wenches. Worst, if a select few know the studs exist!" Her words echoed in the quiet chambers that'd once been active with whispers at every elicited response. These women were just too tired now. "And Persephone," Selene continued to answer her charge. "I do not suggest throwing out all we have done; the effort we've made is tremendous thus far. What I do recommend is that our fruitless searches to save the last fourth of the planet be ended. We have saved 800some and struggle to maintain them now. I will save future suggestion of what to do with these women for later; for now, we have saved enough. I'm re-recommending the full destruction of Cocoon so that you, myself, all of us may move on from this catastrophe and finally leave that pain behind."

"There is a whole fourth of that planet left," Someone objected very softly. Selene was surprised to see Tethys' way back in Fourteenth speak up. She rarely did at any council. Beside her, Sixteenth in last spot and her wife, Lethe moved her hand over hers for comfort.

"And what will that gain us?" Selene challenged to shut down the voice of opposition. "Two hundred more women? Three, if we're lucky and they don't throw themselves at us for trying?" Selene shook her head. "Who among us can bear three more months, or five, or a year more to search underground? Who among us has not sacrificed thick and thin of ourselves in this vile quest to save those of Cocoon? Just today, I watched my own wife break down over a mercy-lending _man_ to shoot him to spare the pain of watching his suicidal ingrate kill herself before his eyes!"

"Selene…" Athena vied quietly.

Selene moved a hand over hers to comfort, but went on. "Who is there to save _my _wife the pain of executing their child and him? Who comforts our daymares, soothes our grievances, or will stand before the pyre we have a hundred times to throw the bodies of men, babies, and boys to be burned? Thalia hasn't slept adequately in months," Selene went on, picking against the strongest supporters and most affected of them. "Araidne's daymares wake the whole settlement. Even you, Persephone, the most fair-minded of us next to Jeanne, even you have growingly degenerated against mankind in your pain over Pheme. I know you take comfort in the bloodlust over men; I have taken it too. When will that end? When we have no more men to slaughter and have all degraded ourselves to filthy addicts in need of a killing fix? I have washed blood out of my hair too much! We have done _enough_, Sisters! Helping this ungrateful nation must end. Now, before it finishes us too."

"Selene," someone else called quietly. Selene and everybody else, she suspected, was surprised to see Cybele, the abused and demoted wife of Roma, dropped four spots to Sixth within the space of seven months, speaking up for herself at all. Such was not Cybele's style, who usually suffered through her torments quietly. Seven months ago, she'd been irreversibly shamed by Roma, who'd gone to Fang alone for solace and comfort in making love. It was sickening; yet still, Roma paraded, so proud. "We have to continue. Our girls…"

Selene didn't have much of an opinion on Cybele. The woman was foolish to stay with Roma and had been since Carme's capture, but she couldn't blame the mother much for her wishful thinking. Carme had been Cybele's, and her death, catastrophic to the woman's mental health. Everyone had been just a bit kinder to Cybele since Roma's betrayal. The poor woman didn't even have her wife to lean on. At least she'd been going to Nerites on occasion. Still, she wasn't faultless. "These Cocoon women aren't your daughters, Cybele, Persephone, Araidne." She put that as lightly as she could manage for Cybele's sake. "Saving them won't bring them back."

Cybele took it as expected, poorly. "We haven't found any trace of them!" she countered, desperation coming through, "Their bodies— we should feel the residue power, and haven't. Not anywhere in Sage's palace. Not anywhere yet! They're still… still…"

"Cybele…" Nerites, 12th seat and the woman who cared for her more than her wife, tried to get through her pain. Selene cringed back from it; she and every mother in this room could understand, but this was exactly what she meant in all previous claims.

"I'm not saying she's alive!" Cybele burst back, near tears. "But her body…"

"Sage could've burned it with Ethereal Flame." Selene volunteered, really not wanting to get into attacking the mothers' motives, which would contradict her purposeful goals. "It'd make sense for him to eradicate all traces." Cybele cringed from the explanation like she was the one being burned. The Umbra weren't very religious; being eternally youthful, they'd never much thought of an after-life, but the Ethereal Flame was a horror introduced in the war, a painful fire that burned everything to the very essence of a being and all traces of magical existence with it. It was considered a disgrace after death, to be completely wiped in all traces from their worlds. "Sisters," Selene appealed to all of them, knowing addressing the singular mother would be an error. "This would be just what Sage wants; even after his death, he has us scouring the planet with hope to recovery and give proper burial rights. We have searched far reaches of the planet. Our daughters are gone. It is time we put this senseless mission to rest and heal ourselves in moving on."

"You're suggesting we play God to end two to three hundred innocent lives." Jeanne spoke up to counter her motion. "That is not what we're here to do, Selene. It is not up to us to decide who lives and dies."

"We decide that every day!" Selene argued, frustrated. "Every man we slay is an ended life on our hands. We are already playing God, Jeanne!"

"Man as a whole has been deemed unredeemable," Jeanne countered. "We don't take chance with him because we cannot. They are the Sages creation and they lend towards violence. However they got that way, it is how their society understands life as a whole, and therefore, they cannot be saved."

"And who decided that?" Selene countered, interrupting. "We did! Just as we have been threading the pieces of this world since the beginning. It should not make a difference to decide them from the women."

"Except, the women are innocent." Persephone interjected into the argument. "We cannot slaughter them as we do man, but in good faith, I could never leave them in that monstrous society _with _them. We are at an impasse, Selene. No one denies how tired we all are or the sacrifices we've made to process what increasingly seems an impossible task, but we can't leave them to die with the rest of the men either, or leave them be altogether alone. We don't make judgments over women's lives; we take all in who do not outright fling themselves on the sword. Making the choice to kill the rest of them is not in our hands, nor ever should it be our choice. We might've been revered as such once, Selene, but we are no longer higher than our own creations."

Anger flared in Selene's chest. This was the type of attitude that kept them suffering and struggling to accept. Many of these other women might _think _their diminished number had equalized them, but it was not so. They _were _still stronger, more powerful, able. Capable of tearing down or erecting a city in a day. Her sisters were foolish to degrade themselves to the level of mortals, short lived and feeble as they were. In a few centuries, all of this would be passed; they would have enough Ragnarok-born to flourish with, Fang would be free to live as she wanted, and the Umbra would be almighty and revered again. Why couldn't they see that? When had their minds been made so little to comprehend?

Before Selene could rebut anything, which would do little anyway for how slowly she had to craft their minds in coming around, Athena tugged her arm, hand squeezing in her own. She leaned in and whispered. "There are not enough. Please, Selene."

Selene looked at her goodly wife. Athena was no fool; motioning for a vote now would do nothing but guilt their consciences, and her sisters had suffered enough pain. "You know my opinion," Selene rested her case. "Do with these fool women as you see fit."

"Thank you," Athena said softly, leaning against her as the meeting went on. Selene lifted her hand from her wife's to wrap it around her slight shoulders and hold. She kissed Athena's temple, unbothered by these useless proceedings that would end up allowing the women to live and exert caution.

"I don't like you out there." Selene told her strictly.

"Nobody enjoys it."

"Tomorrow, you'll feel faint." Selene instructed, "Spend the night with Circe and Ares. Two or three, even. I don't want you back there so soon."

"They need help." Athena protested, but even she must've known how weakly she sounded.

"I don't care."

Athena closed her eyes, resting against her loved one she'd held since before the war. She asked after a moment. "Let's not fight tonight, Selene."

"We won't." Selene promised, silently vowing not to bring up any conversations that would lead to one. Her lady needed the night. She brushed lips to the edge of her hair and kissed her strong woman again there. "Whatever you want, Athena."


End file.
